Is Hezekiah Masses in the Mix at CB?

TRAINING CAMP TAKEAWAYS: DAY 2

The Raiders are back on the practice field today for Day 3 of training camp, but before they get things rolling, get caught up on everything that stood out from Day 2. In our latest podcast, I break down my biggest observations from Raiders HQ, including the wide receiver room's slow start, rookie cornerback Hezekiah Masses making a real push up the depth chart, and Fernando Mendoza's continued development with the second-team offense. We also dive into Kirk Cousins' steady start to camp, Mike Washington Jr.'s impressive showing, the latest on Quay Walker and Nakobe Dean, and the offensive line battles worth watching. If you want a boots-on-the-ground breakdown of what's actually happening at Raiders camp, this is the episode for you.

HEZEKIAH MASSES IN PLAY AT CB?

We've only seen two days of training camp practice so far, and the pads aren't even on yet, but through the first two days of camp — and really, the offseason program, too — Hezekiah Masses has emerged as one of the biggest surprises in the rookie class.

He even got a shoutout from Klint Kubiak at the end of minicamp. Klint had high praise for him but also challenged him (in a good way), asking what he'd do when the pads came on. I didn't take that lightly. It's not every day a fifth-round pick gets a shoutout from the head coach so quickly after joining the team, but I definitely didn't expect to see Masses getting first-team reps opposite Eric Stokes during the first two days of camp.

I figured we'd see Jermod McCoy get those reps before he did, but it seems they're bringing McCoy along slowly and trusting what Masses put on tape during the offseason.

At 6-foot, 179 pounds — at least according to the Raiders' roster — it should surprise no one that there are questions about how he'll hold up in the NFL once the pads come on. Just go back and watch the tape from his college days at Cal and Florida International, and you'll see he's a willing tackler, but he lacks the finishing power you might see from a guy carrying a few more pounds.

Having said that, the kid has elite ball production. In fact, he led the FBS with 18 passes defensed in 2025 and also had five interceptions. It easily could have been seven, but he had two picks wiped out by penalties. On a Raiders team that managed just 16 takeaways last season and ranked 30th in the league on third down, a player who can take the ball away and help get the defense off the field is incredibly valuable.

I don't recall him coming away with any turnovers during the offseason practices, and I haven't seen him force one in camp yet, either. But he's held his own so far, and he hasn't stood out in a bad way, which is half the battle at corner.

It's important to reiterate that it's early — very early — and, again, we need to see what he does once the pads come on. But it's clear this coaching staff likes what it's seen from Masses so far, and he looks to be very much in the mix for the starting job opposite Eric Stokes.

He was mostly trading reps with second-year corner Darien Porter on Thursday and was part of a three-man rotation with Porter and Decamerion Richardson on Day 1 of camp, so they'll (more likely Porter) have their say in that battle. But don't forget about Jermod McCoy. He was widely considered a top-10 talent in this year's draft, but he hasn't played since 2024. He's mostly been working with the second and third units. So far, I haven't noticed him taking reps with the ones since camp opened.

I'd imagine that will change as he gets reacclimated, but what I initially thought would be a battle between Porter and McCoy right out of the gates suddenly looks a little more crowded than I expected.

REQUIRED READING

Our buddy Ted Nguyen over at The Athletic has become a regular in our Required Reading section, and for good reason. The guy consistently churns out great stuff, and he did it again this week. Ted broke down the top 10 offensive play-callers in the NFL, and thanks to Klint Kubiak coming to town, the Raiders now have one of the league's best play-callers, according to Ted.

Check out the story linked above to see where Kubiak landed among the league's elite offensive minds, and what one AFC defensive coordinator had to say about the Raiders' new man in charge.

MISS ANYTHING?

Catch up on some of our recent stories:

TRAINING CAMP TAKEAWAYS: DAY 1

In case you missed it, Ryan Hoag joined me to break down everything we saw during Day 1 of Raiders training camp. We discussed Kirk Cousins opening camp as QB1, how Fernando Mendoza looked, why practice already feels different under Klint Kubiak, and which young players look ready to separate themselves. We also shared our biggest takeaways from the offensive line, running game, and linebacker additions, along with what we were watching heading into Day 2. If you're looking to get caught up on the start of camp, this is a great place to begin.

FANSHOTZ FRIDAY

“FanShotz Friday”

By now, you have seen the phenomenal photos we’ve been using in many of our newsletters. They’re some of the best shots you’ll find of your favorite team, captured through the lens of our friend Arnie Bazemore of Fanshotz.com. Every Friday, we’ll feature Arnie’s favorite Raiders shot of the week that he captures at practice or on game day.

This week, we're featuring a shot Arnie snagged of Maxx Crosby and Tre Tucker butting heads at practice. It wasn't anything hostile, just two dudes getting each other going, and I thought it was a pretty sweet shot from our guy Arnie.

Maxx noted Wednesday that he feels great physically but was a little hesitant mentally on a few plays the first day of practice. That definitely wasn't the case Thursday. They aren't in pads yet, so it's not "real" football, but he made his presence felt a handful of times on Day 2 of camp. He looks ready to roll.

Check out Arnie’s work at his site linked above and reach out if you’re interested in working with him. He’s a great guy and has been so supportive of me over the years when I was at NBC here in Vegas, and he’s come along for the ride with Silver & Black Sports Network, too.

WHAT’S NEXT?

Day three of Raiders training camp! Keep an eye out for our coverage from down there at HQ to see what develops before the Raiders take their first break from the practice field on Saturday.

Catch ya next time,