The annual Mason/Brennan Preseason Hype! Award competition is now well underway following the Commanders’ 20-7 beatdown of the Miami Dolphins.
Each week of the preseason, I will be publishing my own Bris Vegas Preseason Hype! Power Rankings ©, tracking the progress of the team’s late-round draft picks and undrafted roster hopefuls in generating hype through their efforts to claw their way onto the roster or practice squad. Players’ rankings reflect not only the hype they have generated to date, but
also their potential to generate more hype as the preseason unfolds and position battles intensify ahead of roster cuts.
For the benefit of new readers to the site, Hogs Haven’s annual Mason/Brennan Preseason Hype! Awards were named after Redskins sixth-round pick Colt Brennan and UDFA running back Marcus Mason to celebrate the struggles and occasional triumphs of players on the roster fringe battling against the odds to roster spots and playing time.
Most of these players will end up on practice squads or washing out of the league. But, every season, a few of them will manage to keep their NFL dreams alive. And, as I recently showed, every Super Bowl team features at least a few major contributors who began their NFL journeys in a similar way to the players in this article. While the focus of the Mason/Brennan award is on hype, sometimes the hype turns into reality. And those of are some of the most exciting storylines of the NFL preseason and tend to produce fan favorites like Alfred Morris and Jeremy Reaves.
Following the draft and UDFA signings, I previewed this year’s Mason/Brennan contestants, ranked by hype potential:
Front Runners
Chasing Pack
Dark Horses and Longshots
The first installment of the power rankings will track how they have fared compared to their initial offseason rankings. Before we get to that, let’s review the eligibility rules.
The Rules
- Player must have been drafted late or signed by the Redskins as an undrafted free agent. Players that have only been on other teams’ practice squads that are signed by the team are also eligible.
- A player that has been on the team for several years is still eligible if most of that time has been spent on the practice squad, inactive, or with very limited productivity/time
The Keenan “the Barbarian” Robinson Amendment: only sixth-round draft picks or later for their first two years in the league.
Now that we’ve got that out of the way, here is how the race for the Mason/Brennan Preseason Hype! Award is shaping up, with the first preseason game in the books.
Preseason Hype! – Week 2 Power Rankings
1. K Drew Stevens (1), no change
As I mentioned in the intro, sometimes the hype turns into reality. Drew Stevens became the first Mason/Brennan contestant to graduate and become a roster lock when the Commanders released his competitor, Jake Moody, shortly after the first preseason game. I haven’t quite figured out whether that eliminates him from the competition or not. For now, he sits atop the power rankings as a shining beacon of hope for all of the other roster hopefuls fighting their own position battles.
2. RB Robert Henry Jr (11), +9
Robert Henry has shot up the board, thanks to a sizzling 75 yd/12 att (6.3 Y/A), 1 TD breakout performance in his first preseason outing. Henry’s quick burst out of his breaks was on full display as he broke off runs of 22, 15 and 24 yards through the right side of the line and around the right end. He made even more of a splash on kick returns with one allowed return for 30 yards and a second solid effort negated by a penalty. Henry had been flying under the radar, beneath a deep and underrated running back rotation in camp, before bursting onto the scene with a standout performance against the Dolphins. The Commanders’ decision on which running backs to keep just became a lot more complicated.
Sam in BrisVegas: I was on to Henry before it was cool. He’s going to be good.
3. WR Jaden “Moss” Bradley (5), +2
In hindsight, it is hard to believe that Jaden Bradley was ranked as low as fifth before the pads came on. Bradley evaded notice of the draft media, despite posting a 58 rec, 931 yd, 4 TD stat line in his fifth college season at UNLV. As foreshadowed in the Mason/Brennan Preview, Bradley has lived up to his hype potential, with a standout performance in camp raising questions about how many receivers the Commanders will keep on the 53-man roster. Bradley’s hopes of earning a roster spot seemed to take a hit, with the Stefon Diggs signing, along with all of the other roster hopefuls at receiver. But he might force a rethink if he can maintain the momentum he established in training camp. He didn’t hurt his chances with a solid outing in the first preseason game, catching 2-of-3 targets from quarterbacks Sam Hartman and Athan Kaliakmanis for 21 total yards and 11 YAC with one drop, and nearly blocking two punts.
4. QB Athan Kaliakmanis (17), +13
Athan Kaliakmanis seemed to be facing a ceiling on his preseason hype potential when I wrote the preview, because he was battling for the third string QB position. That was before an injury to primary backup Marcus Mariota in the preseason opener created an opening. Kaliakmanis seized the opportunity, with a strong debut performance, to leapfrog Sam Hartman into the next position on the depth chart. If Mariota misses significant time — the Commanders are optmistic Mariota will be ready for Week 1 — Kaliakmanis has positioned himself to be Jayden Daniels’ game day backup.
5. RB Kaytron Allen (2), -3
Kaytron Allen hasn’t done anything to hurt his hype potential. He was simply overtaken by the hype trains building behind Robert Henry and Athan Kaliakmanis. Allen has had a solid camp and delivered a strong performance in the preseason opener, leading the Commanders in rushing yards (23 att, 85 yds, 3.7 Y/A) and scoring his first NFL TD.
6. DT Ricky Barber (6), no change
Ricky Barber was almost scratched from consideration, because of his off-the charts productivity (3 comb tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sack, 1 QB hit, 25% pressure rate) in 15 defensive snaps last season. But I bent the rules to keep him in it by leaning on the fact that he has had “very limited…time.”
Barber flashed hype potential with a strong performance against the Dolphins. Lining up predominantly at right defensive tackle, he was a force in the A-gaps. Barber co-led the team with three defensive stops, along with fellow interior defensive lineman Shy Tuttle, and was second in pressures with one quarterback hit and one hurry. If he keeps up that pace, he might force his way onto the roster or at least reclaim his position on the practice squad.
7. C Matt Gulbin (4), -3
The Commanders’ pivot to Julian Good-Jones when starting center Nick Allegretti was injured was a setback to Gulbin’s preseason hype campaign, without a doubt. Gulbin fought back the best way he could, with a strong outing in pass protection (0 pressures allowed). He opened running lanes for Robert Henry Jr. and Kaytron Allen and did a good job climbing to the next level to seal off defenders in the preseason opener. Those fans hoping to see Gulbin battling for the starting center job might get something to cheer for if he can keep building on that performance.
8. S Malik Spencer (7), -1
Malik Spencer announced his presence by making the first interception of training camp, then followed that up with strong practice performances and another interception in the first preseason game. Spencer is a versatile defensive back who can play everything from nickel to box and free safety and even a bit of dime ‘backer. He has the advantage of competing in the thinnest position group on the roster. If he can keep drawing the coaches’ attention with big takeaways, he has a shot of beating out Percy Butler for the last safety spot.
9. G Tanoa Togiai (10), +1
Tanoa Togiai is a super athletic but raw interior offensive lineman. The reshuffling of the offensive line, in the wake of injuries to Laremy Tunsil and Nick Allegretti, has created opportunities for roster hopefuls in the trenches. Togiai helped his case in the first preseason game with a strong performance in pass protection (0 pressures), and the highest run blocking grade on the team (PPF 86.5), while splitting time at left and right guard. If he can keep stacking performances like that, he has a chance to earn a spot at backup guard. What Togiai has going for him that other players lack is youth and athletic upside.
10. TE Quentin Moore (16), +6
There was a time when the blocking tight end was a no-hype speciality. With more and more teams running 12- and 13-personnel, they are back in fashion. Quentin Moore has struggled to get in the spotlight, with bigger story lines breaking at his position group in camp. But he has had a solid performance this summer and demonstrated better receiving ability than many expected. He followed that up by earning the highest PFF run blocking grade (71.6) among the tight ends in the preseason opener. Moore faces an uphill battle to secure a place on the 53-man roster. But, with the Commanders jumping on the heavy-personnel grouping bandwagon, he has given himself a good chance of earning a position on the practice squad.
11. CB Car’lin Vigers (3), -8
Car’lin Vigers is the biggest faller on the board, but not because of anything he did. His hype potential took a big hit with the relatively recent acquisitions of Rasul Douglas and Fabian Moreau. Can he force his way back into the conversation? Fred Davis II’s whole-body cramp might have cracked the door ajar. Vigers helped himself with a strong performance in coverage in the preseason opener (4 targets/0 receptions), although he did miss a tackle. Realistically, though, he is competing for a practice-squad spot. That places a low ceiling on his hype potential.
12. WR Jacoby Jones (19), +7
Jacoby Jones helped himself with solid performances in training camp and the first preseason game. But his apparent massive rise in the rankings is mainly due to attrition. Still, one can never rule out the potential of a big bodied receiver to generate hype with a spectacular catch in the preseason, even if he is just fighting to keep his position on the practice squad. Jones caught 2-of-3 targets for 33 yards in just 12 offensive snaps against the Dolphins.
13. DT Jeffrey M’ba (14), +1
Jeffrey M’ba hasn’t made quite as big a splash as you’d hope from a 6-foot-6, 316-pound nose tackle, trying to crack an NFL roster as a raw 27-year-old rookie. But he did make some noise in the preseason opener, to the tune of one tackle, two assists and a quarterback hurry in 18 snaps against the Dolphins second and third teams.
14. CB Fred Davis II (13), -1
Fred Davis didn’t do much to raise the hype level in camp. His exit from the first preseason game with a “full body cramp” was a hype killer. He will have to lift his game in the final two weeks of the preseason.
15. DE T.J. Maguranyanga (20), +5
T.J. Maguranyanga has kept a low profile in camp and the preseason. He played 19 defensive snaps in the first preseason game without registering a stat. His five-place rise in the power rankings is mainly due to five players being released.
16. WR Nick Nash (12), -4
Nick Nash played 18 snaps at receiver in the preseason opener and 10 on special teams without registering a stat. He will need to kick it up a notch down the stretch to edge out Jacoby Jones for a place on the practice squad.
Released
WR Ja’Corey Brooks (8)
G Timothy McKay (9)
S Robert McDaniel (15)
G Tyler Cooper (21)
WR Chris Hilton Jr (18)
Chris Hilton Jr. was the player whose ranking drew the most controversy in the preview was waived and claimed by the Packers when the Commanders signed G Max Scharping, C Daniel Brunskill and T Nicholas Petit-Frere. Hilton’s hype journey has started a new chapter in Green Bay, where he has now recorded his first and only preseason special teams snap. He appears to be the only former Mason/Brennan hopeful to sign with another team after being released by the Commanders this year.
