Counting Down Cal's Top-50 Transfer Athletes: No. 9 Hezekiah Masses

The transfer portal era in college athletics seems like it’s been with us forever. Likewise, most fans can recall less turbulent times when transfers happened, they simply didn’t look like a stampede to the 1849 California Gold Rush.

We thought it was time to rank the best transfers Cal teams have attracted, most of them in recent seasons but also including a few OGs from yesteryear.

We limited our ranking to transfers from four-year colleges.

Here is the next athlete in our countdown:

9. Hezekiah Masses

Sport: Football

Arrival year at Cal: 2025

Previous school: Florida International (Had 105 tackles, two interceptions and one pass breakup in 36 games over three seasons from 2022 to ‘24)

Contributions at Cal:

— Joined the Bears in 2025 with one year of eligibility left and determined to fill a vacancy at cornerback on a team that has developed elite defensive backs in recent years.

— The 6-foot-1, 180-pound Florida native led the nation in total passes defended (18) and average (1.38) per game. Masses had 13 pass breakups and five interceptions.

— Along with his 47 tackles, Masses’ five interceptions and his 13 PBUs both were tied for second-most in the ACC.

— Masses was named to the All-ACC first team, and was a second-team selection to the Walter Camp, Associated Press and AFCA Coaches All-America teams.

Standout performance: Masses began his Cal career by collecting 14 tackles, three interceptions and three pass breakups as the Bears opened the 2025 season with wins over Oregon State, Texas Southern and Minnesota.

Impact on his team: Masses, who continued Cal’s recent run of excellent defensive backs, was taken in the fifth round of the NFL draft by the Las Vegas Raiders this spring. It marked the seventh consecutive year a Cal DB was chosen in the draft. The Bears have had a total of 10 cornerbacks or safeties drafted over that seven-year stretch.

Previously on our list:

No. 10: Ioanna Krimili

No. 11: Chad Hansen

No. 12: Bob Milano

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