Larry Mayer

All three defensive prospects the Bears selected in the draft possess traits that first-year coordinator Dennis Allen covets in all his players.

Shemar Turner

DL

• Height: 6-3
• Weight: 290 lbs
• College: Texas A&M

Second-round choice Shemar Turner, a defensive tackle from Texas A&M, plays with violence, relentlessness and a nasty disposition.

"He's athletic, he's powerful and he plays with the right temperament," Allen told ChicagoBears.com. "He plays the game aggressively, and that's what we want our guys to be able to do. We felt like he was a great fit. He's smart, he's tough and he's highly competitive, and those are three characteristics that we're looking for."

Turner appeared in 43 games the last four seasons at Texas A&M, recording 115 tackles, 10.0 sacks and 24 tackles-for-loss. Over the past two years, the 6-3, 290-pounder compiled 69 tackles, 8.0 sacks and 17 tackles-for-loss.

Asked what stands out on Turner's tape, Allen said: "The effort and the finish. That's what he does as well as anybody. When you talk about a 290-pound guy, the way he plays so hard on every single snap is impressive to see."

Turner impressed the Bears when he met with them at the NFL Combine.

"You could tell that he loved football," Allen said. "He's just got a tough mentality about him and those are the type of guys that we want to bring into the building and then have an opportunity to coach them and mold them and teach them."

Ruben Hyppolite II

LB

• Height: 5-11
• Weight: 236 lbs
• College: Maryland

Allen is also eager to mold fourth-round pick Ruben Hyppolite II, a fast and athletic linebacker from Maryland. The 5-11, 236-pounder was not invited to the combine but ran a blazing 4.39 40 at his Pro Day, boosting his draft stock and spawning league-wide interest. He ultimately visited 10 teams, including the Bears.

"It was a great '30' visit," Allen said. "He's mature, he's self-aware about who he is as a football player. We went into the draft saying we have to try to increase our athleticism and speed, and he certainly does that at the linebacker position."

Hyppolite's maturity made a lasting impression on Allen.

"You spend some time with these guys and you kind of get a feel for what their personality is going to be like," Allen said. "He's got a serious personality and he's kind of got a pro's mentality already, and that's a good starting point."

Hyppolite joins the Bears after spending the past five seasons at Maryland, where he appeared in 51 games and compiled 236 tackles, 3.0 sacks, 13 tackles-for-loss, one interception and six pass breakups.

Zah Frazier

DB

• Height: 6-3
• Weight: 186 lbs
• College: Texas-San Antonio

Like Hyppolite, fifth-round selection Zah Frazier, a cornerback from Texas-San Antonio, also made a positive impression during a visit to Halas Hall.

"What stood out to me was his thirst for knowledge," Allen said. "He understands he doesn't have the whole picture quite yet, so just the willingness to want to work to get better and understand what we're doing from a defensive standpoint."

Frazier appeared in 29 games the past three seasons at UTSA after starting his college career at Southern Illinois (2019) and spending two years at Coffeyville Community College in Kansas. Last season he was named first-team All-American Athletic Conference after setting a single-season school record with six interceptions.

"He's got really good ball skills," Allen said. "He's got speed, he's got size, he's got length. Those are all three things that we value really at any position on our defense but in particular at the corner position."

The 30 visits that Hyppolite and Frazier made to Halas Hall were instrumental in them becoming Bears.

"You just get to sit back and observe how they interact with everybody in the building, whether it be the scouting assistants or the training room or coaching staff, the front office personnel," Allen said. "You get a chance to see how they interact with all those people and you kind of get a feel for, 'Is this a guy who really loves football and is wanting to come in and go to work and do the things that we're going to ask him to do?' That's why those visits are important."