In the latest NFL.com mock draft curated by NFL media analyst Charles Davis, the Buffalo Bills are predicted to bolster their secondary with their 30th overall pick in April's NFL draft.
Davis has the Bills taking cornerback Maxwell Hairston out of the University of Kentucky at the end of Round 1. This comes shortly after CBS Sports also mocked Hairston to the Bills.
Hairston's draft stock has been picking up steam after an impressive showing at the NFL Combine where he ran a 4.28 40-yard dash and recorded a 39.5" vertical leap.
On Hairston, Davis said, "Bills Mafia greets Mad Max... he brings plenty of charisma and a terrific skill set at cornerback that is needed in Western New York."
It remains to be seen if the Bills will go the cornerback route in Round 1, but Davis is right in saying that one is needed. At the top of the depth chart is Christian Benford and Dane Jackson right now, with not a whole lot of depth behind them.
Benford's outstanding play has received attention over the last couple of years, and in 2024 he graded as the fifth-best cornerback in the NFL by Pro Football Focus. But, the big question is who will be lining up on the opposite side of the field from him. That was Rasul Douglas' job the past two years but he has not been re-signed this offseason as an unrestricted free agent, and he remains one of the best free agents available.
Hairston could move right into the CB2 starting role in Buffalo. He has the burst and athleticism to press and play man-to-man, and he also possesses good instincts to play more zone looks. He was ranked as the 32nd best prospect in the draft by NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah, recently climbing up 11 spots in the rankings.
Jeremiah only has two cornerbacks ranked higher than Hairston, Texas' Jahdae Barron and Michigan's Will Johnson.
Find Jeremiah's draft profile on Hairston below:
Hairston is a lean, athletic cornerback with ideal play speed and fluidity. In press coverage, he incorporates a one-hand jam before turning and carrying vertical routes. He has plenty of burst/speed. In off coverage, he likes to settle and catch receivers at the break point. He’ll need to play cleaner with his hands down the field at the next level. In Kentucky’s defense, he rolled back to play in the middle of the field versus certain formations/motions, but he was late to diagnose and react from that alignment. He’s willing in run support and is a dynamic blitzer. He was limited to seven games this past season due to a shoulder injury, which impacted his tackling. He had a very productive 2023 season ...
