It's NFL draft month. So between now and when the first round begins, we will be highlighting prospects who could be of interest to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Next up is Kentucky cornerback Maxwell Hairston.
Measureables
Height: 5-112
Weight: 183
Relative Athletic Score (RAS): 9.63
Maxwell Hairston is a CB prospect in the 2025 draft class. He scored a 9.63 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 104 out of 2752 CB from 1987 to 2025.https://t.co/CIMadkdT5Ypic.twitter.com/vUkhJuyAPA
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 3, 2025
Stats to know
Hairston is a relatively inexperienced player with 1,068 career snaps--747 of which came during the 2023 season. He would appear in only seven games this past year due to missing time with a reported shoulder injury.
In 2023, Hariston allowed a completion rate of 66% on 67 targets, but did hold opponents to just 9.8 yards per catch and had excellent ball production, with five interceptions and four pass breakups.
In 2024, with a much smaller sample size, Hariston's completion rate was just 54% on 22 targets, but he gave up big plays, allowing 21.8 yards per catch, and he had decent ball production given the number of opportunities he had with four pass breakups and another interception.
As a run defender, Hairston was slightly above average in 2023 by PFF's metrics and slightly below-average this past season. Missed tackles were an issue in 2024, with a missed tackle rate of over 27%.
Fit with the Jaguars
The addition of Jourdan Lewis provided some stability to the Jaguars' cornerback position as it allows for Jarrian Jones to bounce outside, which is where the need at cornerback was the greatest.
However, while Jones did see a good amount of playing time on the boundary at Florida State, assuming he can step into that role at the NFL level after primarily playing the nickel comes with some risks. Adding competition for that starting spot and bolstering the cornerback depth overall should be on GM James Gladstone's radar.
Hairston is a terrific athlete, has strong ball production, and is comfortable in both man and zone coverages, as Lance Zierlien noted below, which is a skill set that will fit well with Anthony Campanile's adaptable defensive scheme.
Development is still needed, but there is tons of upside, and with Lewis in the mix now at cornerback, the Jaguars are afforded some additional flexibility when it comes to taking a swing on potential.
NFL draft profile
Here is what Zierlein wrote in his scouting report about Hairston:
"Hairston is capable of playing all forms of zone and man coverage. He anticipates well with his eyes forward and has the burst to take the ball away, posting six interceptions (three returned for TDs) over his last 20 games. He stays connected in man coverage with good agility and fluidity but needs to do a better job of locating the football downfield. He will struggle to contest big wideouts, and his run support will turn off some teams. Hairston has the athleticism and on-ball talent to become a ...
