Cal DB Taken in the NFL Draft For the 7th Consecutive Year

UPDATE - JACK ENDRIES CHOSEN BY BENGALS

The streak lives on.

Cornerback Hezekiah Masses was selected by the Las Vegas Raiders in the fifth round on Saturday, marking the seventh consecutive year a Cal defensive back has been chosen in the NFL Draft.

Masses, who played one season for the Bears as a senior transfer from Florida International, was the 175th overall player drafted this year, the 22nd cornerback.

Masses told reporters he has looked forward to this day since his childhood.

“Man, the Raiders, it’s crazy, man. The franchise history . . the Raiders (have) an excellent foundation. It’s so real,' he said. "Growing up I always wanted to be in the NFL and I’m finally here. I’m not taking it lightly. All gas, no brakes.”

Meanwhile, former Cal tight end and East Bay product Jack Endries, who played last season at Texas, was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals with the fifth pick of the seventh round, the 221st pick overall.

Regarded as a strong cover corner, Masses led the nation last season with 18 passes defended, including 13 passes broken up and five interceptions he returned for 91 yards. The 6-foot-1, 179-pounder also had 47 tackles.

Masses was chosen by the Raiders several hours after they took projected first-round cornerback Jermod McCoy of Tennessee with the first selection of the fourth round. McCoy apparently fell because teams were concerned about his health after he missed all of the 2025 season after suffering a torn ACL in January of last year.

Masses said he likes the direction of the Raiders' defense and is ready to contribute. “I’m coming to change the program around," he said.

The Raiders were 3-14 last season and have endured four consecutive losing seasons. They brought in Klint Kubiak as the team's new head coach and made a splash in the NFL Draft on Thursday, choosing one-time Cal quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick.

Former Cal star Nnamdi Asougha was a first-round draft pick of the Oakland Raiders in 2003 and went on to become a four-time first- or second-team All-Pro selection.

Masses was chosen a year after three Cal defensive backs were drafted: cornerback Nohl Williams in the third round, safety Craig Woodson in the fourth round and cornerback Marcus Harris in the sixth round.

The Bears’ current streak of having at least one DB drafted began in 2020, when safeties Ashtyn Davis and Jaylinn Hawkins went in the third and fourth rounds, respectively.

Safety Camryn Bynum was taken in the fourth round in 2021, safety Elijah Hicks in the seventh round in 2022, safety Daniel Scott in the fifth round in 2023 and Patrick McMorris in the seven round in 2024.

A total of nine Cal defensive backs were drafted over the previous six years, and eight of them were on NFL opening day rosters last fall.

Cal cornerback Brent “Paco” Austin also is regarded as a possible draft choice on Saturday, when teams choose players in the fourth through seven rounds.

On Saturday, Masses credited Cal strength coach Jason Novak with helping him take a leap in his game after arriving on campus a year ago in January. “All season I just got bigger and stronger and faster," Masses said. "When I got on the field that helped me improve my game.”

Masses, a first-team All-ACC selection in his one season with the Bears, was the only Cal players invited to the NFL Combine. He also participated in Cal’s Pro Day, after which he provided an evaluation of his skillset.

“Definitely ball skills,” he said of his greatest asset. “I’m good when the ball’s in the air. My IQ on the field; I’m always in good position. Some weaknesses I told them, I need to improve in tackling.”

That was in line with how the experts viewed Masses’ prospects.

“Masses is an athletic cornerback who has the speed (4.46 in the 40-yard dash) to produce at the next level,” Scouts Inc., wrote for ESPN. “Masses has very good balance and body control, keeping smooth, fluid hips in transition.

“In coverage, he can be effective in man and zone, possessing good anticipation and route recognition. He plays competitive with the ball in the air to contest the catch. As a run defender, he can set the edge and pursue with confidence.”

Endries' gamble pays off

Jack Endries transferred out of Cal to play last season at Texas, hoping to improve his profile and catch the attention of NFL scouts. Whether or could have done the same thing by remaining at Cal, he now has his chance in the pros.

He went a bit lower Saturday than he might have expected, and lower than ESPN projected. The network labeled Endries as the second-best available tight end on Saturday after nine players at his position were chosen Thursday and Friday through three rounds.

Nine more tight ends were chosen Saturday before Endries’ name was called.

He caught 91 passes for 1,030 yards and four touchdowns in his two seasons with the Bears, and was Mendoza’s favorite target in 2024. At Texas last fall, the 6-foot-5, 240-pounder had 33 receptions for 346 yards and three touchdowns.

Endries can play tight end or in the slot and is considered particularly effective against zone defenses because of his ability to find “soft” spots in coverage. He is less effective again man coverage, scouts have said, and is not regarded as an elite blocker.

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