2021 Mason/Brennan Preseason Hype! Awards: RIP Colt Brennan Edition

Former Washington Redskins 6th round draft pick Colt Brennan has reportedly passed away at the way-too-young age of 37. Brennan was a star in college at the University of Hawaii and brought that hype with him to Washington in 2008. Brennan was a cult sensation during his brief time here, and was the inspiration for the annual Mason/Brennan Preseason Hype! Awards here at Hogs Haven.

This 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 for 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 Nominees:

Camaron Cheeseman, LS - 6th round(2021) - Highest drafted LS in Washington history? There have already been 100+ bad cheese jokes and I’m here for all of them.

William Bradley-King, DE - 7th round (2021) - Late round hyphenated DEs get an automatic spot on this list.

Shaka Toney, DE/LB - 7th round (2021) - Jack Del Rio talked about Toney more than the 2021 Hyphenated DE when asked about 7th round picks. Versatile defensive chess piece.

Dax Milne, WR - 7th round (2021) - Can we have a Mason/Brennan without a late round WR? I don’t want to live in that world.

Jaret Patterson - UDFA (2021) - A 5’7” UDFA RB with great college numbers who got a shoutout from Barry Sanders after getting drafted? Sign me up!

James Smith-Williams, DE 7th round (2020) - Started the hyphenated DE trend in Washington for Ron Rivera

Steven Montez, QB UDFA (2020) - Special shoutout to his one supporter on HH. He’s also being talked about for a Taysom Hill-like role in camp this year!

Isaiah Wright, WR UDFA (2020) - One of only four UDFAs to be signed last year, and the only WR from the group to make the team. Wright had some flashes and got some hype here.

Sammis Reyes, TE FA (2021) - Top 3 candidate for the hype awards this season. Reyes has never played a down of football, but his physical measurements are off the charts, and 20+ teams were interested after his workout. Washington’s need for a #2 TE makes the appeal even stronger.

Deon Yelder, TE FA (2021) - TE signing who hasn’t done much in his career, but was called a sneaky solid addition to the TE group here

Beau Benzschawel, OL FA (2021) - UDFA from 2019 that was on quite a few Hogs Haven mock drafts a year ago ends up on the roster this year.