2017 Mason/Brennan Hype! Awards: Training Camp Week 1.5 Edition

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 there are always a 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.

Hype is a very real, and a 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 offseason, draft and OTAs/mini-camps. Place your vote for who you feel has been the most hyped player up to this point, whether the hype is deserved or not.

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

3. The Pat White Rule: High draft picks (busts/out of the league) from other teams who have never completed an NFL pass, but can run the read option/wildcat are eligible.

The Candidates:

QB Nate Sudfeld

Sudfeld was a 6th round pick last year who didn’t play a snap. With the Kirk Cousins contract situation rolling into another year, the Sudfeld hype got a little bump from GM Senior Vice President of Player Personnel Doug Williams.

You know, he was one of the guys, when we drafted him, when we sat in the room [and] we talked about drafting a quarterback, I was a Sudfeld guy.

“And I’ll tell you what: Out of the quarterbacks that came out this year, if he was coming out this year and looked like he looked [at last Tuesday’s practice], he would be up there anywhere from the second to first round. The kid has improved.”

That’s some high quality, high level hype right there.

DT Joey Mbu

Joey Mbu was an undrafted free agent in 2015 who made the Falcons roster for the last two games of his rookie season. He was picked up by the Redskins, but hasn’t made the roster yet. Ladies and gentlemen, your potential new starting nose tackle.

CB Josh Holsey

Josh Holsey was a 7th round CB taken this year, and is fighting for a spot. He’s already got the DeAngelo Hall hype seal of approval.

“He’s a hell of a player,” Hall said. “There’s no doubt he can play in this league. Because we’re so deep, who knows what’s going to happen, but the kid is going to be a player in this league.”

WR Zach Pascal

One of many WRs trying to finally knock Ryan Grant off the roster...

LB Nico Marley

He’s got the name recognition, and he’s not afraid to attempt to get into a fight with a former 1st round pick who gets cocky after a good play in camp.

OL Chase Roullier

Jay Gruden seems to love the guy and already has him penciled into the 53-man roster. Roullier was a 6th round pick this year, but the hype is real here. There’s been talk of him being a starter since he was drafted.

OL Kyle Kalis

The desire to replace a player pushes hype out to every other option at their position. Redskins fans generally want Shawn Lauvao gone, and anyone who can replace him gets that sweet, sweet hype. Arie Kouandjio was supposed to be that guy, but it’s looking like he’s a backup at best. Enter Kyle Kalis, a mauler from Michigan who could get our hopes up this year.

shocked that he wasn’t drafted, because I think this kid has plug-and-play ability… I would say that if he can learn under Brandon Scherff, he’s got the ability to replace Shawn Lauvao in a year or two.

You can check out a few other options from Bill-in-Bangkok's look at offensive and defensive UDFAs trying to make the Redskins roster this year. Add any nominations for next week in the comments section.