Las Vegas Raiders rookie has a massive chip on his shoulder, and he’s giving the entire league a heads-up
The Las Vegas Raiders drafted Hezekiah Masses in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and he’s been a steal so far.
The Las Vegas Raiders could end up hitting on 3 Day 3 picks from the 2026 NFL Draft, and fifth-round cornerback Hezekiah Masses out of Cal might be the one who gets fans the most excited.
Masses has been one of the best cornerbacks on the roster through the early portion of training camp, fighting for a starting spot with cornerback Darien Porter and already winning some of those battles. For a team starving for talent in the secondary, that’s a significant development from a late-round pick.
But what the Raiders like most about Masses isn’t the fact that he’s extremely fluid in his movements. It’s not the fact that he’s sticky in coverage. And it’s not the fact that while he isn’t fast, he’s very technical. All of those things are true. What Las Vegas loves most is his mentality.
The Raiders took an approach in this draft where they targeted good football players who also bring the right mindset and versatility. Masses checks every box. When asked about falling to the 5th round during his press conference this past weekend, he didn’t hold back.
“I’m trying to take their head off. It was a big issue. They tried to say I couldn’t tackle. So yeah, I’m going to show them,” Masses said.
That quote has the fan base absolutely fired up. It feels like he’s already becoming one of the fan favorites, and why wouldn’t he? When you hear something like that from a cornerback playing for a franchise with the Raiders’ identity, it’s going to resonate.
Masses fits into a cornerback room building toward something special
Las Vegas hasn’t had really good cornerbacks in a long time. Their big win in the cornerback market was re-signing Eric Stokes to another deal, and that’s fine. Stokes played well last season. But the Raiders need high-end talent at the position, and they’re banking on development to get there.
Masses may not project as a superstar, but he could certainly be a starter. He’s already competing for that role in camp. If the Raiders end up hitting on him, Jermod McCoy, and Porter, this secondary is going to be loaded with talent.
McCoy could have been the best cornerback taken in this draft, but a knee injury caused every team to pass on him until the Raiders traded up in the 4th round to grab him. Porter, drafted last year, continues to develop. Masses would give them a third young cornerback with legitimate upside.
What to watch for in the preseason
Masses is a player we could see a lot of during the preseason, at least in the first game. After that, if it becomes evident that he’s the starting guy or capable of being a starter, the Raiders might pull him back. That would be a good sign.
He’s not the only Day 3 pick making noise, either. Sixth-round wide receiver Malik Benson currently sits as the No. 2 receiver behind Jack Bech on the unofficial depth chart. Between Benson, McCoy, and Masses, the Raiders may have found 3 contributors outside the first few rounds.
Right now, though, Masses is the one generating the most buzz. Cornerback is one of the hardest positions in the NFL, and Masses seems to have the mentality required to thrive at it. For a franchise that has been searching for answers in the secondary, that alone makes him worth watching closely.
