Rookie cornerback Hezekiah Masses just got named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week, and if you watched Sunday’s game, you know why. This kid went absolutely off, helping the Raiders jump out to a 2-0 record after a dominant 26-14 win over the Chargers. We’re talking about a fifth-round pick making noise like this in Week 2, picking off Justin Herbert not once, but twice. That’s the kind of early season shocker that gets everyone talking.
Masses Goes Full Interception Machine on Herbert
Let’s be real, going up against Justin Herbert, one of the best young quarterbacks in the league, is a massive challenge for any cornerback, let alone a rookie. But Masses wasn’t just holding his own, he was *dominating*. He snagged a pair of interceptions from Herbert, completely flipping momentum and showing off some serious ball-hawking skills. Think about that for a second: a rookie cornerback with two picks in one game is rare enough. The stats back it up, too. Masses is only the seventh Raiders rookie to pull off a two-interception game, and get this, he’s the first one to do it since way back in 1979! That’s nearly five decades of Raiders history this guy is breaking right out of the gate. On top of those crucial takeaways, he tacked on five tackles and even got a tackle for loss. This wasn’t just a lucky break; it was a full-on defensive clinic.
A Fifth-Round Pick Who Plays Like a First-Rounder
The NFL announced the award on Wednesday, and it’s well-deserved. For a fifth-round draft pick to come in and make this kind of immediate, game-changing impact, it says a ton about his talent and how well he’s been coached up. Masses is the first Raiders rookie to earn the AFC Defensive Player of the Week honor since Maxx Crosby did it in 2019. That’s some elite company to be in, and it really highlights the potential this young player is already flashing. Starting the season 2-0 is huge for any team, and when your rookie corner is a primary reason for that success, you know you’ve got something special brewing. This kind of early season performance can be a real culture builder for a team, showing that talent can come from anywhere and contribute immediately.
What’s next for Masses and the Raiders after this big win and an even bigger individual award? The spotlight is definitely on this rookie corner. Everyone in the AFC West is watching to see if he can keep this incredible momentum rolling. Can he continue to be that disruptive force week after week? The early returns are absolutely thrilling, and the potential for Masses to be a cornerstone of that defense for years to come is getting harder to ignore.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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