Ruben Hyppolite: Bears teammate Kyle Monangai is best running back he's faced
The Chicago Bears were expected to add a running back in the 2025 NFL draft, but they didn't do it until the seventh round with the selection of Kyle Monangai out of Rutgers.
Monangai, who was named to the All-Big Ten team in 2023 and 2024, is a powerful runner who put himself among the best running backs in the conference, and he left a lasting impression on one of his new teammates and fellow rookies.
Before they selected Monangai in the seventh round, the Bears drafted Maryland linebacker Ruben Hyppolite in the fourth round. Having gone against Monangai in their college careers -- both playing in the Big Ten -- Hyppolite had high praise for his new teammate, calling him the best running back he's ever faced.
"I tell everybody that he's the best running back I faced in my career in the Big Ten," Hyppolite told the CHGO Bears Podcast. "He has a great ability to run behind his pads, he's fast and slippery. He knows how to get through the holes and he knows how to finish runs, he's physical. When you look at him you don't really expect physicality with his size, when he runs the football you definitely feel it when you tackle him. I played him for about three, four years, so I had to see him every year, it was always a good battle."
Both Monangai and Hyppolite will have a chance to earn playing time as rookies with competition at their respective positions. There's optimism about both rookies having a role in what should be a very competitive roster for new head coach Ben Johnson.
Follow Bears Wire on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
41 minutes ago
- USA Today
Penn State's player development recipe for 2025 success
At Big Ten Media Day, James Franklin didn't just talk about Drew Allar or the playoff push. He doubled down on something that doesn't always make headlines. That would be player development. And honestly, this might be the most important part of Penn State's whole 2025 plan. Franklin made it clear: this program is built to develop. Whether it's freshmen just getting to campus or veterans waiting for their shot, the standard doesn't change. Every player on that roster is expected to grow, stay ready, and be part of the two-deep mindset that Franklin constantly pushes. He said the staff takes pride in making sure the development happens year-round, not just when the lights come on in the fall. It's about how guys approach spring workouts, summer camp, and even the recovery process. That focus on the process is how you build depth that lasts. This year's roster has a lot of veteran leadership, but Franklin's emphasis wasn't just on the names we already know. He talked about needing players across the depth chart to be game-ready. That's why they treat reps in practice like game reps. He doesn't want a drop-off when a starter comes out. The next man up better be ready to ball. You could feel the trust he has in the staff to keep that standard across every position group. Whether it's on the o-line, the linebackers, or special teams, the same message to be ready applies. And the impact of that mentality is real. It shows up in the film room, the weight room, and when the season hits full swing. Franklin knows the grind of a Big Ten schedule, and he's not trying to survive it with only 22 players. He wants 44 ready to go. If Penn State is going to make a serious playoff push in 2025, it's not just about the starters. It's about the depth, the development, and how the entire roster embraces that next-man-up energy. Franklin made it clear that that is what will separate the good teams from the great ones this fall.
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
ESPN highlights how Oregon Ducks can impress College Football Playoff committee in 2025
A year ago, the Oregon Ducks compiled one of the best regular seasons in program history, going 13-0 with a win in the Big Ten Championship to earn the No. 1 seed in the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff. Now, a year later, with a new-look roster, they're working to return to the same level of success and, as Dan Lanning has said, "double down" on what they were able to accomplish last year. It's not going to be an easy task, seeing as Oregon returns just one starter on the offensive side of the ball, and three on defense. While a lot of the players from last year's conference title-winning team departed for the NFL, there is an influx of young and talented players ready to take over in Eugene. So what can they do to impress the College Football Playoff committee this year and return to the postseason tournament? ESPN laid out the specifics earlier this week. According to ESPN, the Ducks have a 57.5% chance to make it to the CFP, with the easiest route being a defense of their Big Ten title. However, if they are unable to win the conference for a second-straight season, a path remains. That path relies on "style points." "If Oregon doesn't win the Big Ten, it might be tough to earn a bye if the Ducks don't have enough wins against top 25 opponents -- unless they look like a dominant one- or two-loss team," ESPN's Heather Denich writes. "It depends on what happens elsewhere. Last year, both Oregon and Penn State finished in the selection committee's top four. This year, PSU has a chance to beat Ohio State during the regular season, and Oregon does not. Instead, the Ducks will have to assert themselves against the likes of Indiana and Iowa." In essence, the Ducks have fewer high-profile regular-season games than they did a year ago, so they will need to dominate in the lower-profile games during the year. If they happen to lose any of those games against teams like Iowa, Washington, Indiana, or USC, it's fair to think that the committee would ding their resume. "It's not that they can't be overcome, but there's not a lot of wiggle room in a schedule that might include only one or two CFP top 25 teams on Selection Day (Penn State, Indiana?)," Denich continues. "And this schedule has trap games all over it, including trips to Iowa and Washington." Ultimately, there is a lot of confidence that the Ducks can return to the playoff this year and get into contention for another national championship. Even with potential losses against Penn State and one other team on the schedule, a 10-2 record in the Big Ten would still likely be good enough to get into the mix. Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
USA Today
3 hours ago
- USA Today
Oregon and Notre Dame will be USC's most important games
The 2025 college football season is more about facing pressure than meeting high expectations for the USC Trojans and Lincoln Riley. Not too many experts are predicting the USC Trojans to be a playoff team. ESPN just released an article featuring 32 teams that have a shot to make the College Football Playoff. The Trojans were slotted as the 21st team. ESPN analytics are predicting the Trojans to have a 21% chance to make the playoff and a 4% chance to win it all. These are fair projections placed on the Trojans after last season's disappointing finish. Even with an improved roster, the Trojans will still have to prove this year's team is different. Here are ESPN writer Heather Dinich's thoughts on what matchups will be the most important games for the Trojans this season: "USC is a borderline at-large CFP team that's going to have two tough road trips to rival Notre Dame and Oregon. If those are the Ducks' only two losses, it's hard to imagine the committee excluding the Trojans, but right now USC has much to prove after last year's 7-6 finish." Dinich believes that Oregon will be USC's toughest matchup this season, a game that will greatly affect the Trojans' level of success this year. "Nov. 22 at Oregon," Dinich wrote. "This earned a small edge over the game in South Bend simply because of the Big Ten implications. Both Oregon and USC should be looking up at Ohio State and Penn State in the league standings, but the Ducks will be looking to protect their shot at returning to the Big Ten title game, and Autzen Stadium will be unforgiving." The Trojans have a better shot at making the College Football Playoff if they can take out the Oregon Ducks, because at the end of the season it could come down to them or the Ducks for the last playoff spot. The Big Ten is a loaded conference, so the Trojans have to make their case in the games versus Oregon and Notre Dame.
