This award was started as a tongue-in-cheek tribute to players that fans push to the moon before they play a snap, or after one great performance in the preseason. But it also puts the focus on some of the unheralded players who fans hype up and have a fighter’s chance at making Washington’s roster. Colt Brennan was a great college player that lit up the preseason, but injuries and other issues saw him flame out in the NFL early. RIP Colt and thanks for the inspiration.
(*Editor’s note: The text from
the below description is word-for-word from the original fanpost that started this award in 2013)
Every season, a new class of draft picks and undrafted free agents are signed during the preseason. The majority of these players will never be on the roster for a regular season game, but the few diamond in the rough late round/UDFA players who do bring hope to players and fans. That racetrack betting slip that you find on the floor that someone didn’t scout properly.
Redskins fans are very familiar with the hype that comes with the offseason, especially over the last two decades of dreary seasons. Between the overpriced free agent signings, and the overhyped preseason performances by rookies, we were the perennial offseason champions. Names like Marko Mitchell, Marcus Mason, Brandon Banks, and everyone’s favorite Colt Brennan became legendary in training camp and preseason, only to be relegated to the practice squad or the bowels of the depth chart, never to be heard from again. Last year’s preseason hero was Alfred Morris who rose up due to injury and necessity after being deemed a practice squad candidate by many, and we all know how that turned out.
Hype is a very real, and very exciting part of football in the preseason. We all read the daily training camp reports and get excited at the prospect of a late round pass rusher getting sack after sack on 3rd string offensive lineman, or a wide receiver catching everything thrown his way, or a running back who’s not injured.
The Mason/Brennan award has been given out unofficially by the fans for years to each preseason’s most hyped players, but now we’re going to make it official, and bring it to a vote. This week’s vote will cover the draft and training camp. Place your vote for who you feel has been the most hyped player up to this point, whether the hype is deserved or not. After each preseason game a new vote will be taken to see how the hype changes.
The Rules:
1. 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.
2. 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 6th round draft picks or later for their first two years in the league
The Washington Commanders’ third preseason game was a Mason/Brennan showcase with 33 players sitting this one out. Bill Merritt got his highlight reel last week, but sat the preseason finale out. He was in a non-contact jersey in practice, but will be on the field Week 1. He’s shot up fantasy football rankings, and people like myself probably drafted him too high, but the hype is real to me! Chris Rodriguez got some playing time with 5 carries for 34 yards(6.8 ypc). Kaz Allen’s still trying to make it as a RB after switching from WR, and he led the team with 8 carries for 36 yards(4.5 ypc).
The QB duo of Sam Hartman and Josh Johnson continued to make it hard to evaluate the WRs and Week 1 highlights Tay Martin and Braylon Sanders had similar output as last week with Martin only getting one catch on two targets. Ja’Corey Brooks had a quiet game last week, but returned to the stat sheet with 4 catches on 7 targets for 24 yards. His hype continues to ride him to another nomination as he continues to shine in practice.
Colson Yankoff had the highlight play of the game with his 41-yard catch and run. He’s already being talked about as TE3 over last year’s 2nd round pick Ben Sinnott. The Yankoff fanbase continues to grow, and I had two friends text me last night that they were buying Yankoff jerseys.
On defense, LB Ale Kaho continues to impress as a backup-level player. He has been a leader of the third stringers, and the rookie from UCLA looks like he’s got a practice squad spot locked up. S Robert McDaniel is another UDFA who has shown up in the preseason, and is looking like a guy the team wants to try to develop.
A pair of safeties rounds out this week’s nominees. Tyler Owens continues to make a few plays, but can he get a chance on the defense in his second year? Another new addition to the list is former Jackson State DB Robert McDaniel. He’s been very noticeable in the 2nd half of both preseason games, and looks like a player that might land on the practice squad.
The Nominees:
Jacory “Bill” Croskey-Merritt, RB – 7th round (2025) – Jacory Croskey-Merritt, aka Bill, has been a fan favorite since getting drafted. He didn’t play on Saturday, and he’s been shooting up fantasy football rankings.
Ja’Corey Brooks, WR – UDFA (2025) – Ja’Corey was a hype monster at the start of camp, and continues to be a top receiver against fellow backups. Sam Hartman did him no favors against the Ravens.
Colson Yankoff, TE – UDFA (2024) – Yankoff was the highlight of the game, after having the best catch of the game(on the bench) last week. There’s already calls for him to be TE3 over 2nd-round pick Ben Sinnott. NFL.com compared him to Marshawn Lynch!
Ale Kaho, LB – UDFA (2025) – Kaho has been getting a little bit of hype in camp, and has really stood out during the last two games against the Bengals and Ravens. Seems like a practice squad lock, with some fans saying he looks better than 6th-round pick Kain Medrano.
Tyler Owens, S – UDFA (2024) – Tyler Owens is hoping to get his first snap on defense this year, and he had two tackles against the Ravens. Did he do enough to be more than a special teamer?
Robert McDaniel, S – UDFA (2025) – McDaniel is an undrafted free agent from Jackson State who shows up in the 2nd half of preseason games. He was close to a pick 6, and made some plays vs the Ravens.
