Many NFL players talk about blocking out the noise, but they still hear the doubters and critics. Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Hezekiah Masses addressed it publicly, however. And in Thursday's preseason opener, he can speak louder with his performance.
After transferring from Florida International University to California, Masses emerged as a ball hawk, recording 13 pass breakups and five interceptions. But scouts have pointed out a couple of flaws in his game. Thus far, he's used that constructive criticism as motivation.
Can Masses be a reliable tackler at just 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds? He certainly thinks so, and it seems like the Raiders are willing to find out.
Zeke Masses took reps at slot cornerback, which will allow him to strengthen a perceived weakness in his game
According to ESPN's Ryan McFadden, the Raiders rolled out a cornerback trio with Eric Stokes and Darien Porter on the boundary and Masses in the slot during this past Monday's practice. That is a wrinkle that Las Vegas hasn't shown before.
In the slot, nickel backs take on coverage assignments and supplement the run defense, so that player must be an effective tackler.
On the same day that Masses practiced in the slot, he talked about showing his ability to tackle, which may be vital for a chance to stay on the field.
"I'm trying to take their heads off," Masses said. "That was a big issue, they said I can't tackle, so I'm going to show them."
Masses isn't talking about blocking the outside noise; he's embracing it. The rookie fifth-rounder has been one of the top playmakers at training camp in a push for a lead role in the secondary.
The Raiders could test Masses in the slot on Thursday against the Arizona Cardinals, which would give them a better idea of his tackling ability in different live scenarios.
Don't expect defensive coordinator Rob Leonard to call for a slot cornerback blitz in an exhibition game, but he can gauge how well the slender cornerback holds up on run downs and against pass-catchers in the open field.
The Athletic's Ted Nguyen highlighted the importance of defensive backs making stops against the run and said it'll be a make-or-break part of Masses' evaluation.
"You have to have DBs that tackle, and that's why it's going to be a huge part of evaluation. So even though we hear Hezekiah Masses make all these plays at camp, if he goes into these preseason games and he's getting ran over, or he can't finish tackles, he's going to go way down in the pecking order."
So, while most of us look for cornerbacks to make splash plays, like interceptions and pass breakups downfield, the Raiders' battle for the No. 2 cornerback spot could be decided by how well Porter and Masses tackle in the preseason if all other aspects of their performances are equal.
Porter missed 10.6% of his tackling attempts last season. So, Masses isn't the only one in this cornerback competition with something to prove in handling the physical responsibilities at the position.
Moe Moton writes about the Raiders for Just Blog Baby. You can follow him on Twitter at @MoeMoton.
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