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San Francisco 49ers: Early Team-Award Predictions for 2016 Season

By Chandler Wright

Feb 6, 2016; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers Anquan Boldin poses with the Walter Payton Man of the Year award at the NFL Honors press room at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 6, 2016; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers Anquan Boldin poses with the Walter Payton Man of the Year award at the NFL Honors press room at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 6, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler (6) is tackled by San Francisco 49ers strong safety Jaquiski Tartt (29) during the second half at Soldier Field. San Francisco won 26-20 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 6, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler (6) is tackled by San Francisco 49ers strong safety Jaquiski Tartt (29) during the second half at Soldier Field. San Francisco won 26-20 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports /

The Thomas Herrion Award

Now this award strikes a chord for me, because I remember when Thomas Herrion passed away. I was 14 in 2005, and really starting to get big into football and my 49ers, when the 49ers took on the Denver Broncos in a preseason game that year.

The passing of Herrion was heart-wrenching. I’m an emotional person, one that has experienced death at an early age. One time my dad said something to the effect of “When someone I know dies, it brings back all of the other deaths I’ve experienced”.

And that’s how I am too. It hurts, and even though Herrion wasn’t a well known player he was still a human life.

Denise and John York established the Thomas Herrion Award in 2005 and it is given to a rookie, or first-year player, that best fulfills the Dream of Thomas Herrion.

The player who has taken advantage of every opportunity, turned it into a positive situation and turned their dream into a reality is…

Jul 13, 2015; Calgary Stampeders player Eric Rogers poses for a photo. Mandatory Credit: USA TODAY Sports
Jul 13, 2015; Calgary Stampeders player Eric Rogers poses for a photo. Mandatory Credit: USA TODAY Sports /

Wide receiver Eric Rogers.

I really wanted to go with Ronald Blair here, because he’ll have more of an impact in all likelihood, but Rogers story is pretty incredible.

Like Cameron Wake of the Miami Dolphins, Rogers played in the Canadian Football League (the CFL). He was there for two seasons from 2014-2015. In 2013, he was an undrafted free agent receiver for the Dallas Cowboys. Rogers also played college ball for California Lutheran University.

Check out Joe Fann’s article on 49ers.com, 5 Things to Know about 49ers WR Eric Rogers, for more.

More from Niner Noise

Having been with so many different teams, over the past four years, tells me that he really takes advantage of opportunities that come his way. Recent reports have Rogers impressing at 49ers OTAs. This, according to SBNation’s David Fucillo.

Rogers has every opportunity to take the 49ers No. 1, 2 or 3 receiver job this season. He may due just that, and win one of the most honorable awards out there.

All statistics, records and accolades courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com, Sports-Reference.com, 49ers.com and NFL.com unless otherwise indicated.