Buffalo Bills select Maxwell Hairston in first round of 2025 NFL Draft

The Buffalo Bills have selected former Kentucky defensive back Maxwell Hairston in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Hairston was regarded as one of the top CBs in his class after seeing his draft stock rise tremendously during the pre-draft process.

Hairston was sidelined for much of his junior season in Lexington after missing five games with a nagging shoulder injury. He still made an impact during his time on the field, logging 15 tackles, four pass breakups, two forced fumbles, one sack and an interception — which turned into a pick-six, the third of his career — during his final season playing under Mark Stoops.

This came after a breakout sophomore season which saw him total 66 tackles, six pass breakups and five interceptions. Two of those picks Hairston returned for touchdowns. His five interceptions were tied for most in the SEC that season with Alabama‘s Terrion Arnold, who is now a defensive back for the Detroit Lions.

Before college, the Michigan native was a three-star recruit in the 2021 recruiting class according to the On3 Industry Rankings, which is a proprietary algorithm that compiles ratings and rankings from all four primary recruiting media services. He was the No. 920 overall recruit in his cycle, as well as the No. 85 cornerback. Based on his selection, it’s safe to say he played above his high school ranking, and will now reap the benefits as he can call himself an NFL player.

What NFL Draft analysts are saying about Maxwell Hairston

Now that Hairston has been drafted, fans may be wondering what to expect from their new cornerback. NFL Draft analyst Lance Zierlein provided his analysis of the ball-hawking CB from Kentucky.

Lance Zierlein: “Slender outside cornerback with long arms and impressive ball production. Hairston is capable of playing all forms of zone and man coverage. He anticipates well with his eyes forward and has the burst to take the ball away, posting six interceptions (three returned for TDs) over his last 20 games. He stays connected in man coverage with good agility and fluidity but needs to do a better job of locating the football downfield.

“He will struggle to contest big wideouts and his run support will turn off some teams. Hairston has the athleticism and on-ball talent to become a starter, but he needs to prove he can hold up to the rigors and physicality of the NFL game.”

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