3-star OLB Ruben Hyppolite II commits to Maryland football

Three-star 2020 outside linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II officially announced his pledge to Maryland football at the spring game Saturday afternoon.

Hyppolite was on his second visit to College Park since picking up a Maryland offer back in December of 2018. His mother also got to take in this visit, and the sense of family helped everything fall into place.

“She sacrificed so much for me to be in this position,” Hyppolite said about his mother. “I feel like making her happy and making her proud is the most important thing ever. Her witnessing me reap the benefits of my hard work was priceless.”

The 6’0, 223-pound McArthur, Florida, native is listed as the 52nd-best outside linebacker in the Class of 2020 and 87th-best player from Florida. He labels himself as an explosive player, and the power and speed he plays with helps him shake any doubts about his size. Hyppolite spoke to Testudo Times last month and expressed a desire to make an early impact at the college level.

Hyppolite talked about meeting new defensive coordinator Jon Hoke for the first time during this visit, and how the system catered to him well. “The type of defense he runs in the same defense I run in high school,” Hyppolite said of Hoke. The Terrapins flashed their multiple defense with 3-4 and 4-3 sets during the spring game on Saturday, and the 4-3 side of the defense will allow Hyppolite to use his speed and athleticism to make plays.

Hyppolite picked up some major offers in 2019, and chose Maryland over Penn State, Michigan, LSU, West Virginia and Auburn. The Wolverines were a major offer, as Hyppolite mentioned Devin Bush Jr. as a player he modeled his game after and expressed a great interest in the Michigan program. This recruiting battle marks the first time in the 2020 cycle that head coach Mike Locksley has successfully beat out top programs.

“What made Maryland the right school was the people,” Hyppolite said. “The people that are in your corner are going to get you where you need to be, not only in football, but in life.”

Hyppolite becomes the sixth commitment of Maryland’s 2020 recruiting class, and bumps the Terrapins’ class ranking to 34th nationally and eighth in the Big Ten. He also becomes the first player from the state of Florida to pledge, which is a key battleground state for Maryland to make inroads on.

“It’s exciting. We’re trying to get this thing rolling,” Hyppolite said about committed players trying to push the momentum forward. “We’re trying to expand coach Locksley’s mission, and the other coaches’ mission, to really step out and tell people that, ‘Hey, you can create your own legacy here.’ And I feel like with us saying that, we’re not saying that to say it, we actually mean it. I feel like with us doing that, we’re going to bring a lot of talent to Maryland.”