Bears add firepower to defense with Turner, Hyppolite, and Frazier

Hyppolite is one to watch in 2025 (David Banks - USA Today Sports)

Ariana Pensy - Correspondent - 14 hours ago

CHICAGO - What defensive coordinator Dennis Allen is looking for on his defense is clear - speed and physicality. That is precisely what he got through the players Chicago acquired in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Defensive lineman Shemar Turner was the first defensive player the Bears drafted. Turner has experienced playing on the interior and outside. Throughout college, he showed how energetic, violent and athletic he is on the field.

Sometimes, he is a little too violent as he has a history of unsportsmanlike penalties including getting ejected for punching a player in the groin in 2023.

“He’s athletic. That was the first thing that we saw. You see explosion and power with this player. I think he’s got the right temperament for what we’re looking for. I think we’ll have to put the saddle on him and break him a little bit. But, we’d rather have to pull the reins back rather than have to whip him to get him to go. So, we’re excited about working with him,” Allen said. “He’s got a good, outgoing personality. I think he enjoys being in the building. I think he really loves football and that’s something that we look for in guys that we want to bring into the building because you have to love football to do all the things that’s going to be necessary to have success in our league. So, I think he’s got a good personality and then when he’s on the field, he’s about business and so that’s good to see.”

Chicago’s second defensive player drafted was linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II. He is another player who fits with what Allen is looking for.

However, he joins a loaded linebacker room where there will be strong competition throughout training camp for who will be Chicago’s No. 3 linebacker with T.J. Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds and No. 1 and No. 2.

“They’ve got to be able to match up with tight ends, with running backs. At times, they got to be able to match up with wide receivers. Sometimes, that’s carrying things vertical down the field,” Allen said. “So, we’re looking for guys that can run and then we’re looking for guys that have a physical mentality, a physical demeanor.”

Their final defensive pick was cornerback Zah Frazier. Frazier was first in the American Conference and No. 2 in the NCAA in interceptions last season with six. He also had his first forced fumble of his collegiate career last season.

Chicago lacked depth in the secondary last season; thus, picking Frazier will help the Bears address that gap.

“Probably the biggest thing is you got a big, long press corner that can run. He made a play out there (on Saturday) over on the left sideline defensively as you look at it and that’s kind of what we saw with him. Here’s another guy that’s a young developmental corner. He’s got a lot of things that he’s got to learn,” Allen said. “But again, he’s got the tools for us to work with and look, I mean, who better to work with him than Al Harris, a guy that’s got kind of a similar frame and played a long time in this league and had a lot of success. So, I think we’re excited about getting the opportunity to work with him and helping him grow.”

Overall, the draft really helped to address some of Chicago’s areas of concern. Rookie minicamp offered them their first opportunity to show what they can do and how they can contribute to the Bears’ defense this upcoming season.

Next for them will be OTAs, which start on Tuesday, May 20.

“I think these three guys that we drafted really help (to be more athletic and faster). Now, obviously, right now, they don’t know whether it’s pumped or stuffed in terms of the football,” Allen said. “So, they got a lot of learning to do and there’s a lot of things that we have to teach. But, from a physical skill set standpoint, they fit the type of player that we’re looking for.”