Kentucky CB Maxwell Hairston Selected in First Round of NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills

Maxwell Hairston made big plays in the Kentucky secondary. Now he has made history. For the first time ever, a Kentucky defensive back has been selected in the first round of the NFL Draft.

During the opening night of the three-day event in Green Bay, Hairston was in the green room when he heard his name called by Roger Goodell. The Buffalo Bills selected Hairston with the No. 30 pick. He’ll join his former Kentucky teammate, Ray Davis, in Buffalo.

Mannnnnn they got them UK boys out in Buffalo now 💙🤲🏾 @MHairston22 pic.twitter.com/dRBkrWqUZY

— Re'Mahn Davis (@Ray_Davis07) April 25, 2025

Hairston will serve as a Kentucky football recruiting pitch for years to come. The Detroit native was a mid-three-star prospect who did not play for two years. When his number was called, Hairston delivered.

During his first season in Lexington, he picked off five passes, including a pair of Pick Sixes against Vanderbilt. The ball skills were still there, but he was forced to play most of the season with a cast on one of his hands, making catching the ball that much more difficult.

Unfortunately, the injury bug bit during his final season in Lexington. An infection forced him to miss five games. Even when he was on the field, opponents were afraid to throw it to his side of the field. In more than 300 snaps, his opponent received fewer than 25 targets. He still picked off a pass for a touchdown and tallied four pass deflections.

His body of work spoke for itself, but he had more talking to do. Hairston promised fireworks in the NFL Combine. He delivered a 4.28 40-yard dash, the fastest of any player at this year’s event. His RAS score of 9.68 out of 10.00 was among the Top 100 cornerbacks ever tested in the NFL Combine, dating back to 1987. It’s clear that Hairston has the tools to be an impact cornerback in the NFL.

“I’m the ultimate competitor. Being at corner, you gotta have a short-term memory. You gotta be able to forget about the last play, good or bad, and focus on the next play,” he recently told Kay Adams.

“My energy, when I’m on the field, I play like my head’s on fire because my film study and everything we do at practice, it gets me ready to go out there and play fast. They’re going to know that I’m ready to empty the tank every game.”

Kentucky Career Snapshot for Maxwell Hairston

Stats
Started in 20 games, totaled 89 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack, 10 pass breakups, six interceptions, and three forced fumbles

Accolades
All-SEC Second Team (2023, 2024)
Honorable Mention All-American (2023)
Second Team Midseason All-American (2023)
SEC Leader in Interceptions (2023)
School Record with 3 Pick Sixes

His best game at Kentucky
It’s hard to top returning two interceptions for touchdowns in one game. He did that in a 45-28 victory at Vanderbilt in 2023.