MH #31

Maxwell Hairston

Cornerback · Kentucky

The fastest man at his combine, Maxwell Hairston brought 4.28 speed and instant playmaking to Buffalo's secondary as a rookie first-rounder.

Maxwell Hairston entered the league as one of the most explosive athletes in the 2025 draft class, running the fastest 40-yard dash at the combine before Buffalo made him the 30th overall pick. Injuries slowed his rookie debut, but when healthy he showed the ball skills that made him a two-time interception-return touchdown producer at Kentucky.

★ First-round pick, 2025 NFL Draft (No. 30 overall)

★ Fastest 40-yard dash at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine (4.28 seconds)

★ Second-Team All-SEC, Kentucky, 2023

★ First career interception came against Patrick Mahomes in Week 9, 2025

Path to the league

Hairston started two seasons at Kentucky, picking off six career passes with three returned for touchdowns. His best season came in 2023, when he started 13 games, earned Second-Team All-SEC honors, and posted five interceptions including two pick-sixes. The Buffalo Bills drafted him in the first round, 30th overall, of the 2025 NFL Draft after he ran a blazing 4.28-second 40-yard dash at the combine, making him the 10th first-round pick in Kentucky football history.

Career highlights

Hairston's speed and coverage instincts were the headline of his draft profile, drawing an 'A' grade from CBS Sports for Buffalo's selection. He is the fourth Kentucky player drafted in the first round during the Mark Stoops era, joining a talented pipeline of Wildcats defenders.

2025 season recap

Hairston's rookie season was interrupted by injuries, including a knee issue that landed him on injured reserve to start the year and an ankle injury that cost him the Bills' Wild Card game. He still appeared in 11 regular-season games, recording 18 tackles, five passes defensed and two interceptions, including his first career pick against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in Week 9.