Cal Defensive Back Hezekiah Masses On Draft Strengths, What the Bears Did for His Career
The Cal DB was back on his home turf for Pro Day last month, looking to build on his combine showing ahead of the draft.
Hezekiah Masses kept his Pro Day assessment simple, happy to be working out on familiar ground.
“Solid day out here, man. Just happy to be on my home turf. Come way out, hit the Cal turf and just practice on my turf. Just felt good just moving around with the guys.”
The combine wasn’t the end of the process for Masses. He wanted more reps and more opportunities to be seen.
“The combine is just part of the process, but the process is not done at the combine. Pro Day is still here and I just want to still move around with my guys.”
He posted a 34-inch vertical, though he felt there was more in the tank.
“I jumped like a 34. I could have did way better, but it was decent.”
Conversations with scouts after the workout were productive, and Masses was candid about both his strengths and what he needs to clean up.
“Always good talking to scouts, just hearing what they feel about me, what I need to improve on, what my strengths are on the field. Definitely ball skills, I’m good when the ball’s in the air, it’s mine. My IQ on the field, I’m always in great position. And some weakness, I told them too, I need to improve on tackling.”
His second 40-yard dash at the combine came in a tenth faster than his first, and Masses explained exactly why.
“The first one, the 40 just felt so long. I kind of stopped at the 37 or something like that, just kind of raised up. But the second one I just ran through the line and maintained my technique. I did that and did way better.”
When it comes to what Cal did for his pro prospects, Masses was grateful across the board.
“Cal did a lot, man. Ain’t nothing I can ask for. They got me bigger, stronger. Thank Coach Novak, thank Coach TB and Coach AB. They just prepared me the right way on the field and off the field.”
On draft projections, he’s staying patient.
“No guesses, man. You never know. We just going to wait until April and see.”
Going through the process alongside fellow Cal DBs Paco Austin and Dru Polidore has made it more enjoyable.
“It’s great, man. I feel like DBU, I feel like me and Paco were the best duo. We don’t really get our name out there as much as maybe we should, but it was great always working out with those guys and just being able to move around with them.”
And while he hasn’t had deep conversations with last year’s Cal draft class, the lines of communication stay open.
“We follow each other on social media, always texting here and there, always communicating with each other.”
Watching his interception returns makes me think that he could be a great kick returner. Did he do any of that at Cal?