Raiders rookie Hezekiah Masses has been nominated for NFL Rookie of the Week after intercepting Justin Herbert twice in his first career start.
Hezekiah Masses' memorable first NFL start has earned the Las Vegas Raiders rookie some league-wide recognition.
Masses was named one of four nominees for Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week on Tuesday after intercepting Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert twice in Sunday's 26-14 victory.
The fifth-round pick started in place of the injured Darien Porter and made the most of the opportunity.
Masses finished with five tackles, two pass deflections and a tackle for loss in addition to his two interceptions. Herbert completed just 33.3% of his passes when targeting Masses, according to the Raiders.
The performance also put Masses in rare company.
He became the first Raiders rookie to record multiple interceptions in a game since Henry Williams accomplished the feat against the Denver Broncos in 1979.
Masses' first interception came in the opening quarter after a pass intended for David Njoku was tipped into the air. His second came late in the fourth quarter when he stepped in front of a pass intended for Derius Davis.
Raiders coach Klint Kubiak praised Masses after the game but also credited the rest of the defense for helping create his opportunities.
"Incredible start for him," Kubiak said. "Really proud of him, really proud of how his teammates supported him because the ball doesn't get into his hands without great pass rush and great coverage."
Masses' performance continued an impressive start for a Raiders defense that has forced five takeaways through two games.
It also represented a significant early return on a player Las Vegas selected with the No. 175 overall pick in the fifth round of April's NFL draft.
Masses appeared in 49 games over four college seasons, spending three years at Florida International before transferring to California for his final season. He intercepted five passes and recorded 13 passes defensed for Cal in 2025.
The Raiders had already seen signs of his playmaking ability before Sunday.
"That's kind of the guy we've seen since he came here in April," Kubiak said Monday. "He's been confident, he's been making plays on the ball. He's been instinctual. And it's one game; we've got to go do it again."
Masses is competing with Denver Broncos running back Jonah Coleman, Cleveland Browns wide receiver Denzel Boston and Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Josiah Trotter for the weekly honor.
Voting runs through Thursday morning, with the winner scheduled to be announced later that day.
