The NFL offseason is the time for unencumbered optimism. Every year, fans convince themselves that each move their team made will pay off, that every free agent signing was a steal or worth the money, that every early-round pick is a star, and every late-round selection is a hidden gem.
And Las Vegas Raiders fans aren't exempt from this. Luckily, this excitement has been co-signed by just about everybody, as the consensus around the league is that John Spytek and Co. hit it out of the park. With some perspective down the line, the hope is that everyone still feels this way.
But sometimes, you just get a feeling about things before they even happen, and you have receipts to back up your hopefulness. Such was the case here at Just Blog Baby, as not once, not twice, but three times we wrote about how the Raiders should be interested in Cal CB Hezekiah Masses.
Of course, Masses was ultimately picked by Las Vegas in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and he is making a name for himself early in the offseason program.
Rookie CB Hezekiah Masses is already rotating in with Las Vegas Raiders first-team defense
After Masses was selected, ESPN's Louis Riddick immediately declared him a draft steal. So, when reports surface that the Day 3 rookie is already rotating in with the first-team defense at mandatory minicamp, Riddick (and the folks here at Just Blog Baby) should certainly feel a bit of vindication.
Locked On Raiders host Q Myers said in a recent episode that Masses playing with the big boys in the first group is a positive omen for the youngster, and it means that he is catching the attention of the coaching staff already.
“But when you see Hezekiah Masses, him and Darien Porter splitting reps with the ones, that's a positive, right? None of this is negative," Myers said. "When you see a young guy with the ones, that just means that he's getting attention to the coaches or they want to see how he fits and how he's progressing through rookie minicamp, through OTAs to mandatory minicamps. So Hezekiah Masses, Darien Porter, you know, rotating reps at the corner spot across from Eric Stokes. That was a positive to see."
Raiders.com reporter Levi Edwards also included Masses in his notes from mandatory minicamp, stating that Masses has been getting reps in against the team's current No. 1 wide receiver, Tre Tucker, as well as a slew of other veterans throughout OTAs.
"Rookie defensive backs got quite a bit of action, which included cornerback Hezekiah Masses and safeties Treydan Stukes and Dalton Johnson. Masses has been tested on the outside by the likes of Tre Tucker, Dareke Young and Phillip Dorsett II since the start of OTAs. The fifth-round pick from California was named First-Team All-ACC in 2025 and his 13 pass deflections were tied for second most in the nation."
Again, that is an ultra-positive sign for the young player. It may be a bit daunting for a fifth-round rookie to be so quickly thrust into a major spotlight at practice, but Masses is seemingly feeling comfortable and performing well; otherwise, they wouldn't keep him in the lineup.
Klint Kubiak spoke to the media on Thursday, however, and he made it clear that, while Masses has enjoyed a strong offseason to this point, he is, essentially, not impressed. The first-year head coach needs to see Masses in pads, then he can make his honest assessment of the rookie corner.
"Just a credit to John [Spytek] for getting so much competition in that room, and we want to keep pushing the starters," Kubiak explained. "And young guys like Zeke have had some good springs. Happy with his work ethic. Again, just like everybody else on the roster, what is he going to do when the pads come on? What are you going to do, Zeke, if you're listening?"
Kubiak publicly challenging Masses is not only on-brand for the Raiders' new leader, but a sign that the young coach wants and expects more from his fifth-round pick. So, let's hope that Masses continues to feel comfortable and answers the bell again in training camp and the preseason.
And if he does, how long until fans can start calling him a steal or a hidden gem?
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