Several Kansas City Chiefs cornerbacks are free agents after the 2025 season, including Jaylen Watson. This year’s third-round pick Nohl Williams is waiting in the wings, but he has yet to reach 200 defensive snaps as a rookie. The Chiefs need to explore adding cornerback help in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Cal Golden Bears cornerback Hezekiah Mathes has been flying under the radar this season. He offers good length and length for the corner, but is very thin. Mathes is a suffocating defender in man-to-man coverage who can easily mimic routes outside of press coverage or jump passing routes in the zone by reading the quarterback’s eyes.
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Mathes’ punches lack pop in press coverage, but he is a physical cornerback who can throw the ball down the sideline and hunt receivers down the entire route. His hips show some stiffness, but that doesn’t limit his ability to stay on receivers’ hips. The crowd will quickly slow down and stay connected to the receiver through intermediate routes such as digs, counters and curls.
Mathes anticipates route breaks in personnel coverage to provide routes for receivers and not leave a window for the quarterback to throw. He holds his own at the catch point and uses his arm length to disrupt catches. Masses isn’t the fastest cornerback in the class, but rarely gets pressured on dropback or dropback routes.
In zone coverage, Mathes uses leverage to sit in throwing routes and block throws. He’ll look at the quarterback’s eyes to block threats and take advantage of potential interceptions early. His football IQ is evident in his approach to route combinations. Mathes’ quick trigger and close burst give him the potential to wreak havoc at the catch point.
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The crowd gives his run advantage when he needs it, but his lack of crowd and playmaking power makes it difficult for him to pile up and get out of blocks. His angle on the football is inconsistent and he doesn’t seem eager to contribute against the run unless necessary.
Mathes is projected to be an early fourth-round pick and could move into the third round if he performs well on the All-Star circuit and at the NFL Scouting Combine.
This article originally appeared on Chiefs Wire: 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report: California Golden Bears CB Hezekiah Masses