If we’re picking early winners from Las Vegas Raiders training camp, rookies Hezekiah Masses and Malik Benson have to be at the top of the list. Both were day three picks but have been the talk of camp with how much they’ve exceeded expectations, setting themselves up to compete for starting spots or at least have a role on their respective sides of the ball.
However, this time of year, there’s always the question of whether the hype is real or a byproduct of who they’re going against. For example,
Dont’e Thornton Jr. was drawing plenty of praise during camp a year ago but had a disappointing regular season and is widely considered on the roster bubble this summer.
This comes with the territory of training camp because the Raiders are primarily facing off against the Raiders, a team that went 3-14 in 2025 and ended up with the No. 1 pick of the draft. Also, it’s no secret that Las Vegas’ receiving corps leaves something to be desired, and the team is very young at cornerback, adding fuel to the argument that Masses and Benson are benefiting from the competition they’re facing.
Preseason games can help add context to the situation and provide a litmus test to sort out the real contributors from the pretenders since the Raiders get to face another team. However, those contests are still dominated by backups and players who won’t be on 53-man rosters in September. Instead, joint practices are a much better barometer, and the Silver and Black have a big one coming up against the Houston Texans.
The Texans have made the playoffs every year since Demeco Ryans took over as head coach in 2023, winning the AFC South twice and finishing last season as a 12-5 Wild Card team. Heading into the 2026 campaign, Houston is expected to be a Super Bowl contender again, tied for the fifth-best odds (+1700) to win it all according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
A big reason for that is that Ryans has created an elite defense that is full of All-Pros and Pro Bowlers, including cornerbacks Derek Stingley (2024 and 2025 first-team All-Pro) and Kamari Lassiter (2025 Pro Bowler). Also, nickelback Jalen Pitre is no slouch either, earning a three-year, $39 million contract extension during the 2025 offseason.
To put it in perspective, Stingley (75.8, 11th) and Lassiter (72.9, 23rd) posted top 25 coverage grades from Pro Football Focus last year, with the former ranking tied for 13th in coverage snaps per reception allowed (16.1) and the latter finishing 12th with 12 forced incompletions. Pitre was equally as impressive, posting the fourth-best passer rating when targeted (62.4) in slot coverage.
So, whether it’s in one-on-ones, seven-on-seven or the full team periods, Benson will get a chance to prove himself against an elite secondary. And if he’s breaking free from the likes of Stingley, Lassiter and Pitre, that’s a strong sign that the Raiders found a diamond in the rough with the sixth-round pick.
Also, Benson is known for his speed, and free safety Calen Bullock is not to be forgotten in Houston’s defensive backfield. Bullock, another 2025 Pro Bowler, is an emerging deep defender in the league and surrendered just 233 yards as a primary defender in coverage last season, per PFF. Depending upon whether he gets enough reps against the Texans’ first-team defense, that makes any explosive plays the former Oregon wideout more notable.
The Texans don’t have as much talent on the other side of the ball, but they do have a wide receiver who has made back-to-back Pro Bowls in Nico Collins.
Collins has a streak of three consecutive 1,000-yard and six-plus-touchdown seasons, including 71 catches for 1,117 yards and six scores last season. He was one of the most efficient wide receivers in the NFL a year ago, finishing tied for ninth at the position with 2.35 yards per route run, according to PFF. A big reason for that is the 6-foot-4, 215-pound receiver with a 4.45-second 40-time has the rare combination of size and speed to win downfield, tying for the 11th-most receptions (10) on targets 20 or more yards past the line of scrimmage in 2025.
The closest receiver the Raiders have to that skill set is Thornton, who has been injured and missed several practices early in training camp. So Masses, who is 6-foot-1, 179 pounds and ran a 4.46 this past February, hasn’t faced a wideout like Collins yet. That will likely change during Tuesday’s joint practice, allowing the rookie to show what he’s got against a premier talent.
On the other end of the size spectrum, Texans wideout Tank Dell has been marred by injuries, having his rookie year cut short (11 games) due to a fractured fibula and missing all of last season after suffering a nasty knee injury at the end of the 2024 campaign. But he managed to record 98 catches, 1,376 and 10 touchdowns in 25 games with 18 starts during his first two years in the league.
At 5-foot-8 and 165 pounds, Dell brings a different skill set than his counterpart out wide. He’s a shiftier receiver who thrives on short to intermediate routes with his route-running and ability to create separation. In other words, Masses’ coverage skills will be tested by a variety of wide receiver styles against the Texans.
Ultimately, this is part of the reason coaches like to schedule joint practices at this time of the year. It gives them a true feel for the team and for which players are ready to contribute when they aren’t facing someone they know well and the level of competition increases. If Masses and Benson can rise to the occasion, that will help make the future look even brighter in Las Vegas.
