Raiders Rookie Hezekiah Masses Ranks No. 1 Among NFL's Day 3 Draft Picks

The Las Vegas Raiders may have landed one of the biggest bargains of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Rookie cornerback Hezekiah Masses, selected in the fifth round, ranks first among all players drafted on Day 3 in Pro Football Network's latest Impact rankings.

Masses earned an 84.3 grade, placing him ahead of San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle Gracen Halton (83.6), Atlanta Falcons linebacker Kendal Daniels (79.0) and Carolina Panthers safety Zakee Wheatley (78.8).

PFN previously highlighted Masses' impressive rookie grades in October, and its latest rankings provide further evidence of the impact he has made since Las Vegas selected him 175th overall in April.

His rookie season began with a spectacular performance against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 2.

Making his first NFL start in place of the injured Darien Porter, Masses intercepted Justin Herbert twice in a 26-14 Raiders victory.

The performance earned him AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors, making him the first Raiders rookie to receive the award since Maxx Crosby in 2019.

Masses added another interception against New Orleans, giving him three through his first three games.

His early success also attracted national attention.

An early All-Rookie team also included Masses as a first-team cornerback alongside Kansas City's Mansoor Delane.

However, his development hasn't followed an entirely smooth trajectory.

As previously reported, Masses ranked second among qualifying rookie cornerbacks in completion percentage allowed during an October comparison, despite experiencing coverage struggles and reduced playing time.

The Raiders have continued evaluating their options at cornerback, with Porter and Masses competing for snaps opposite veteran Eric Stokes.

Fourth-round rookie Jermod McCoy has also entered the competition after recovering from a serious knee injury.

Defensive coordinator Rob Leonard recently emphasized that no player has been guaranteed a starting job.

The competition remains unsettled, making Masses' position atop PFN's rankings particularly noteworthy.

Masses played 29 defensive snaps in Sunday's 38-33 victory over the New York Jets, accounting for approximately 45% of Las Vegas' defensive plays.

He also made an important third-down pass breakup late in the game, helping force New York to settle for a field goal.

For a Raiders team rebuilding its secondary, the rookie's strong overall grade offers encouragement.

But the next challenge for Masses is turning those promising early performances into a more consistent role in Las Vegas' defense.