Cal CB Hezekiah Masses Named to AP Second-Team All-America Squad

Cal recent run of outstanding play by its defensive backs continued this season, and it is reflected by the fact that Golden Bears’ cornerback Hezekiah Masses was named to the second-team All-America squad by Associated Press on Monday.

Last year Cal cornerback Nohl Williams was named to the AP second-team All-America squad, and he was one of three Cal defensive backs taken in the 2025 NFL draft. All three (Williams, Craig Woodson and Marcus Harris) are on NFL rosters this year and received significant playing time as rookies.

Seven former Cal defensive backs are currently on active NFL rosters.

Also, Cal graduate and Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, who now plays for unbeaten, top-ranked Indiana, was named the first-team quarterback on the AP All-America squad.

The AP All-America team is the most respected of the football All-America teams that are chosen at this time of year, but it is not the only one

Masses was also named the Walter Camp second-team All-America squad.

Masses accepted an invitation to play in the Senior Bowl, which is scheduled to be played January 31 in Mobile, Alabama. His performance in that game as well as his showing for scouts will help determine his status for the 2026 NFL draft.

Blessed🙏🏾 AGTG! https://t.co/lWMdR005Vx
— HezekiahMasses (@HezekiahMasses) November 30, 2025

Masses finished the regular season tied for fourth in the country in interceptions with five. Four of his five interceptions came in the first five games of the season, and he led the nation in that category for most of the season.

He also leads the nation in passes defended (five interceptions plus 13 pass breakups) with 18.

His 13 pass breakups tied for second nationally.

Masses recorded tallied 43 tackles this season for the Bears.

The all-America teams of the American Football Coaches Association, The Sporting News and the Football Writers Association of America will be announced in the coming days.

Cal (7-5) will play in the Hawaii Bowl against Hawaii (8-4) on December 24. The game will be played at the Clarence T.C. Ching Complex, which is on the University of Hawaii campus and is the Rainbow Warriors’ home field.

The Bears are 1.5-point favorites in that game on most betting sites, although ESPN Analytics give Hawaii at 59.6% chance of winning that game.

The team is scheduled to leave for Hawaii on Friday.