The Buffalo Bills addressed defense in the first round of the NFL draft, taking Kentucky cornerback Maxwell Hairston with the No. 30 overall pick to add some speed and versatility to their secondary.
It didn’t take Hairston long to buy into the team’s mission for the coming season. ESPN’s broadcast of the NFL draft shared the message the team’s top pick shared to quarterback Josh Allen when they spoke on draft night, which included a bold prediction for the coming season.
Maxwell Hairston Ready to Win It All
The Bills fell just short of reaching the Super Bowl last season, losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship. Though he had only been a member of the Bills for a few minutes on Thursday, Hairston said he was confident he could help the team get over the hump in 2025.
“Let’s go win a Super Bowl,” Hairston told Allen in a call the two shared on Thursday night.
Cornerback was a big area of need for the Bills this offseason, and one of their biggest downfalls in the playoffs. After starter Christian Benford went down with a concussion early in the AFC title game, the Bills were forced to turn to backup Kaiir Elam, who struggled against Patrick Mahomes and the strong Chiefs defense.
Hairston said he was confident he could turn the tides for Buffalo’s defense, creating turnovers and setting up the offense.
“They’re getting someone who is going to give Josh Allen the ball back,” Hairston said after he was selected, reporter Matthew Bove shared in a post on X.
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Bills Add Speed, Big Play Ability
Hairston showed off his big-play ability at Kentucky, where he tied the program record with three career pick-sixes. As ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller noted, the Bills also added the fastest player in the NFL draft.
“The Bills were rumored to be all-in on this cornerback group, and they get a player at that position who posted the combine’s fastest 40 time (4.28 seconds),” Miller wrote. “Hairston best projects to a slot cornerback role, but the team has a legitimate starter there in Taron Johnson. He does have the quickness and long speed to run with outside receivers, so he could stick on the outside in Buffalo’s man coverage heavy scheme. His elite speed is a major asset there.”
The Bills are down a starting cornerback after Rasul Douglas hit free agency, but the team did add some depth by bringing back veterans Tre’Davious White and Dane Jackson.
Hairston will likely compete for a starting role for the coming season, though the Bills would likely be confident with White as the starter opposite Benford and general manager Brandon Beane did admit Hairston would have some work ahead this offseason. Hairston measured 5-foot-11 and 192 pounds, a number Beane said would need to come up a bit before the start of the season.
“We’ll continue to get him in our weight program and get him sturdy,” Beane said, via ESPN. “But it’s not from a lack of effort. And he’s got the … coverage skills, ball skills that you look for.”
