The Buffalo Bills selected the fastest player in the 2025 NFL Draft, selecting cornerback Maxwell Hairston out of Kentucky with their first pick. The pick was a large position of need, and Hairston brings an element of speed that Buffalo lacked. What did other respective analysts make of the pick, though? Matt Parrino of Syracuse.com really likes the pick and gave Buffalo an "A" grade.
"The Bills filled an obvious need with a player who has a path to a starting job and an opportunity to make plays in big games. Buffalo needed more speed on defense, and Hairston gives them more speed at the position than any player who’s lined up at cornerback in the McDermott era."
Nick Baumgardner of The Athletic is a bit lower on the pick, but still gives Hairston's selection a good "B" grade.
"The Bills absolutely needed help in the secondary and Hairston, a very competitive and physical corner at 5-11, 183, is fast enough and competitive enough to hold up on the outside or in the slot in Buffalo," Baumgardner. "Hairston is an absolute burner who ran a 4.28 at the combine and despite his smallish weight, is a very long corner with near 32-inch arms. This is a quality pick and right about where I figured Hairston would go. I’m not sure I’d have taken Hairston over Will Johnson, though, even if there were speed and health concerns about the former Michigan star corner. This will be an interesting one to monitor."
Matt Verderame of Sports Illustrated also gave the Bills a "B."
"Hairston is one of the smallest players in this draft, standing 5'11" and 183 pounds," Verderame writes. "He’s also one of the fastest after running a 4.28 40-time at the combine. In three years with the Wildcats, Hairston played 32 games including 20 starts. In 2024, he was limited to seven games with a shoulder injury. The year prior, he led the SEC with five interceptions."
What will the Bills do on Night Two with their abundance of picks? Time will tell, but so far, the consensus is that they made a good pick in round one.
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