The Buffalo Bills address their cornerbacks, taking speedy corner Maxwell Hairston from Kentucky at Pick 30 of the 2025 NFL Draft. The 21-year-old Wildcat gives Bills Mafia a fast corner, which is something they were lacking in their secondary. At 5’11” and 183 lbs, he showed feistiness and toughness to hang on the outside. In Buffalo, they can plug in Hairston opposite Christian Benford, whom they just paid. Taron Johnson would play in the nickel, improving the corner position that was a weakness for 2025.
Buffalo Bills Select CB Max Hairston at Pick 30
The Bills get the former Kentucky junior, Hairston, who had a blazing 4.28 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. It gives Buffalo an answer against fast receivers like Tyreek Hill (tentatively) and Jaylen Waddle on the Miami Dolphins. He was often linked to the Green Bay Packers, who took Matthew Golden, a receiver, out of Texas.
At pick 30, he could’ve been taken earlier in the 20s, so this was a perfect range. Although Hairston had just one pick in 2024, he had five the season before, and had three career forced fumbles, which is an interesting stat. He had 10 pass deflections in three seasons, as the Kentucky corner was hurt for some of last season and did have an off-field issue, potentially that had him slide.
Final Thoughts
This was a solid pick, as they get some juice in the secondary, as both Benford and Johnson do struggle with speed. Hairston should start from day one as an impact player in their secondary, which is competing against teams like the Cincinnati Bengals and Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC.
Despite being thinner than the average corner, this pick reminds me of the Baltimore Ravens taking Nate Wiggins in the last draft, who had flashes in starts in 2024. Hairston could bring a similar game for Buffalo that they were lacking last year, and is a corner who could cover the likes of Xavier Worthy.
