The Raiders walked away from the 2026 draft with the top prize in Fernando Mendoza, but how did GM John Spytek perform beyond the first pick in the draft?
That remains to be seen, but former Raider great Lincoln Kennedy was asked last week to name the Raiders rookie who has the most to prove since being drafted, and he mentioned a player who has been largely overlooked in the weeks since the draft.
“I honestly think it’s going to be Hezekiah Masses from Cal. I think because he fills in and talking and seeing the interviews, he felt that he should have been taken higher. He felt a little slighted, a little pushed by some of the other corners that they’re talking about,” Kennedy said on the Locked on Raiders Squad Show podcast.
“I think Masses is the one that stands out to me because here’s a ballhawk. I’m following him and watching him in college, always around the ball, always had himself around the ball. So how does he fit into this overall scheme? I expect big things out of him at training camp to showcase his talents.”
Kennedy’s co-host, Q Myers, weighed in on Masses and said his first impression of Masses at Raiders’ minicamp was a good one, but not necessarily in line with what Masses has showed in college.
“Seeing him at rookie minicamp. I remember talking to a couple of the colleagues on the side watching practice and saying, ‘Man, you know, Masses seems like he’s pretty physical. He seems like he’s a pretty physical guy,'” Myers said.
“It was so funny. I did like a player profile on him yesterday on my radio show and the guy that covered him at Cal was like, ‘Yeah, the only knock on him, he wasn’t very physical.’ And I was like, ‘Well, ****. From what I saw at camp, he looked like he was physical.'”
“But there’s no pads. They’re not tackling. So maybe that was the moment for him to be physical.
Maybe that’s something for all of us to pay attention to. What does his level of physicality look like once the pads come on? … What is he willing to do? Is he just a ballhawk? Is he just a guy who is trying to cover you like a blanket? Or is he going to be willing to bring physicality to you as well? I think when it comes to Masses, I’m excited about him, but I want to see what element of his game he brings to the table.”
Prior to the draft, NFL Network’s Lance Zierlein projected Masses as a day 3 pick, adding that his Combine workouts didn’t necessarily line up with his film.
“Masses has taken a lot of snaps but his FBS-leading ball production came out of nowhere. He plays with a ball-hawking mentality, keeping his eyes forward. He’s able to mirror and match releases while disrupting route timing with well-placed jabs from press,” Zeirlein said in Masses’ scouting profile.
“He has an innate feel for challenging throws at optimal angles and plays ball over man most of the time. He’s fairly effective at anticipating route breaks but frequently mauls and invites penalties when the route doesn’t go as expected. Masses lacked explosiveness in his NFL Scouting Combine workout, which will need to be balanced against the competitiveness he showed on tape.”
The Athletic’s Dan Brugler gave Masses a 6th-round grade, but suggested the fourth-year senior might offer the Raiders a little more upside than other day 3 picks…
“A one-year starter at California (and three-and-a-half-year starter overall), Masses was an outside cornerback in former defensive coordinator Terrence Brown’s scheme, playing mostly press-bail, trail and off coverages. A low-ranked high school recruit, he built the foundation of his game over his three seasons at FIU. He transferred to Cal for his senior season and took the FBS lead in passes defended in Week 2, then didn’t surrender his crown the rest of the season,” Brugler said prior to the draft.
“Masses has the ball production (FBS-best 18 passes defended in 2025) that gets your attention — and the tape that keeps you intrigued,” Brugler continued. “He is aggressive from press, with the feet and reactive movements to mirror and match in man. He uses his peripherals to feel route combinations and keep tabs on the quarterback, although his impatience to prevent plays also leads to early contact and flags. His questionable strength will be tested early and often against NFL power.”
Masses is underpowered and grabby, but his sudden footwork and coverage awareness lead to plays on the football, which in turn gives him starting upside. He has surpassed expectations at every level, and it won’t be surprising if that continues.
x: @raidersbeat
Nothing means simply nothing. When the whistle blows, that’s when the truth will be told. All the mouth does is right checks the *** can’t cash. He’s about to find out what the real world looks like on the football field.
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I am thrilled the Raiders got Masses. He was always around the ball at Cal and broke up many plays. The impatience part is true—sometimes he got grabby and flagged. That can be dealt with by coaching. I think he’s going to surprise people with his ability to see angles and be at the ball. There are plenty of reasons for optimism at this point, Masses being one.