‘He’s a burner. Hairston ran a 4.28-second 40-yard dash at the NFL scouting combine – the fastest clocked time of every prospect in attendance. A two-year starter at Kentucky, Hairston led the Southeastern Conference with five interceptions in 2023 and tied the school record with three career pick-sixes.’
BillsBeat - April 25, 2025
Mark Gaughan: It's hard to argue with Bills adding elite speed at cornerback
‘It fills the biggest obvious need on the team.’
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‘This year’s breakdown: 15 offense, 16 defense and one two-way player.’
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‘Texas’ Arch Manning is already projected to be the first overall pick. Manning, the grandson of Archie and nephew of Peyton and Eli, could be the fourth member of the family to be drafted first overall. The other passers could be LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier (who would have been a first-round pick this year), Penn State’s Drew Allar (same), Clemson’s Cade Klubnik, Miami’s Carson Beck and Arizona State’s Sam Leavitt. Allar, Klubnik and Leavitt played in last year’s College Football Playoff.’
Waiting on 2025 draft grades for the Bills? Take a look at Brandon Beane's 2022 class, 3 years later
‘First round, 23rd overall CB Kaiir Elam, Florida. Grade: D.’
Buffalo Bills pick Dorian Strong in 2025 NFL draft: Scouting the CB
‘The strategy at cornerback is clearly to bring in as many candidates as possible and may the best man win. Now, Strong won’t have much of a chance staring up at first-round pick Max Hairston and veteran free agents Tre’Davious White and Dane Jackson, but his goal should be to at least get on the practice squad and spend the season there, then compete for a roster spot in 2026 when White and Jackson will probably be gone.’
Bills grab speedy CB who has 'penchant for big-time plays' in first round of NFL Draft
‘And he liked Hairston the best, even though there were other intriguing options including Mississippi’s Trey Amos, a player who was projected in the same range as Hairston as a late first-rounder, but also, Will Johnson of Michigan whose injury struggles sent him tumbling from a top 15 pick right out of the first round.’
Buffalo Bills pick Maxwell Hairston in 2025 NFL draft: Scouting the speedy CB
‘Hairston was a second-round projection at the start of the draft process, primarily because he missed five games with a shoulder injury in just his second season a starter. But then he showed up at the combine and ran the fastest 40 time (4.28 seconds) and his 39.5-inch vertical leap was second-best among cornerbacks and tied for 12th among all players.’
Here are Bills targets, best available players in Day 2 of NFL Draft
‘As you look at the depth chart, defensive tackle is the clear priority. With DaQuan Jones in the final year of his contract, and free agent signee Larry Ogunjobi suspended for the first six games of the season, the Bills have a hole in the middle of their line.’
20 great players the Buffalo Bills have found in the second round of the NFL draft
‘While the Bills have had a checkered past in the first round of the NFL Draft, they have very often struck gold in the second round. Here is a sampling.’
Buffalo Bills NFL draft pick 2025: Kentucky cornerback selected in 1st round
‘The Athletic’s Dane Brugler ranked Hairston as his No. 4 cornerback in the 2025 draft class behind Travis Hunter, Will Johnson, and Jahdae Barron.’
Buffalo Bills’ Maxwell Hairston had perfect response for what he will bring to the team
‘“They’re getting someone who is going to give Josh Allen the ball back,” Hairston said through a smile.’
NFL team believed Buffalo Bills’ Maxwell Hairston had better tape than Travis Hunter (7 things to know)
‘During his segment, Cosell dropped an interesting nugget. One team source told him this week that they believed Hairston’s tape at Kentucky was better than the tape of Colorado’s Travis Hunter.’
5 thoughts and a grade on Bills draft pick Max Hairston
‘Grade: A’
Bills stay put at No. 30, select Kentucky CB Hairston — fastest man at combine
‘For the first time in four years, the Bills elected to stay put in the first round and select Hairston, a 5-foot-11, 183-pound cornerback who is expected to come to Buffalo and compete for a starting job opposite the team’s top CB, Christian Benford. In each of the past three seasons, Buffalo had moved from its initial position in the first round. In 2024, the Bills traded out of the first round before selecting wide receiver Keon Coleman in Round 2. The two years prior, Buffalo traded up for tight end Dalton Kincaid (2023) and cornerback Kaiir Elam (2022).’