A Raiders Fifth-Round Rookie Is Already Taking Starting Reps and No One Can Ignore It

Alright, 12s, get this: you know how sometimes a kid just *shows up* and blows everyone away? Well, that's what's happening down in Vegas right now, and it's all about a fifth-round rookie corner named Hezekiah Masses. Yeah, you heard that right, a FIFTH-ROUNDER is already in the mix for a starting outside cornerback job for the Raiders! This isn't some deep-bench camp body; this dude is making an early, serious impression.

Who Even IS Hezekiah Masses?!

Seriously, when you hear "fifth-round rookie," you usually think developmental project, right? But the Raiders, bless their hearts, knew they needed major help in their secondary heading into the 2026 NFL draft. So, they went big, picking four defensive backs. Masses was the *last* of those four, but he's already jumping to the front of the line. Before all this, the guy balled out for three seasons at FIU in college, then transferred to Cal in 2025 and straight-up earned first-team All-ACC honors. That's not just a flash in the pan; that's a pr

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oven playmaker making the leap.

Battling for the Spot: What This Means

So, how real is this? At the Raiders' minicamp, Masses wasn't just observing. He was alternating first-team reps with Darien Porter, who was a third-round pick just last year in 2025 and actually *started* 10 games as a rookie. That's no small feat. Reporters who were out there watching the offseason practices that were open to the media said Masses looked good, like, really good. The Raiders also drafted another cornerback, Jermond McCoy, and a couple of safeties, Treydan Stukes and Dalton Johnson, in this year's draft. They are going to have a seriously young secondary, and this means they need these young defensive backs to be ready to roll, and fast. Masses stepping up like this? That’s exactly what they need, maybe even more than they expected. This is a huge storyline brewing in the AFC. How quickly these young guys can truly step up and perform is going to set the tone for the Raiders' entire season. Keep an eye on Hezekiah Masses, because if he keeps this up, the entire league is going to be talking about him.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.