Maxwell Hairston
| No. 31 – Buffalo Bills | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Cornerback |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | August 6, 2003 West Bloomfield, Michigan, U.S. |
| Height: | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
| Weight: | 183 lb (83 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | West Bloomfield |
| College: | Kentucky (2021–2024) |
| NFL draft: | 2025: 1st round, 30th pick |
| Career history | |
| |
| Roster status: | Unsigned draft pick |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| Stats at Pro Football Reference | |
Maxwell Hairston (born August 6, 2003) is an American professional football cornerback for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Kentucky Wildcats and was selected by the Bills in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft.
Early life
[edit]Hairston was born on August 6, 2003, in West Bloomfield, Michigan.[1][better source needed] As a senior at West Bloomfield High School, he recorded 16 pass deflections, three interceptions, and three forced fumbles.[2] Hairston committed to play college football at the University of Kentucky over other schools such as Kansas, Minnesota, Purdue, Virginia Tech, and Washington State.[3]
College career
[edit]As a freshman in 2022, Hairston totaled two tackles.[4] In the 2023 season opener, he forced a fumble as he helped Kentucky beat Ball State 44–14.[5] The next week, Hairston recorded his first career interception in a win over Eastern Kentucky.[6] In week three of the 2023 season, he led the team with seven tackles with one going for a loss in a win over Akron.[7] In week four, Hairston set the single-game school record with two interceptions returned for touchdowns, as he helped Kentucky beat the Vanderbilt Commodores.[8]
College statistics
[edit]| Season | GP | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solo | Ast | Cmb | TfL | Sck | Int | Yds | Avg | TD | PD | FR | FF | TD | ||
| 2022 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 13 | 55 | 13 | 66 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 5 | 131 | 26.2 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2024 | 7 | 15 | 4 | 19 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1 | 25 | 25.0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Career | 32 | 71 | 18 | 87 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 6 | 156 | 25.6 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Source:[9] | ||||||||||||||
Professional career
[edit]| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | Vertical jump | Broad jump | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 ft 11+1⁄4 in (1.81 m) |
183 lb (83 kg) |
31 in (0.79 m) |
8+3⁄4 in (0.22 m) |
4.28 s | 1.50 s | 2.51 s | 39.5 in (1.00 m) |
10 ft 9 in (3.28 m) | ||||
| All values from NFL Combine[10][11] | ||||||||||||
Hairston was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the first round with the 30th overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft.[12]
Legal Issues
[edit]Hairston was accused of sexual assault in high school, though he was never criminally charged.[13]
References
[edit]- ^ "Maxwell Hairston calls UK a dream school". A Sea of Blue. July 19, 2020. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
- ^ Luckett, Adam. "Maxwell Hairston has committed to Kentucky's player development plan". On3.com. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
- ^ Purcell, Jared. "West Bloomfield 3-star CB Maxwell Hairston commits to Kentucky". MLive.com. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
- ^ "Maxwell Hairston 2022 Game Logs". Sports Reference. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
- ^ Clay, John. "College football final: Kentucky 44, Ball State 14". Lexington Herald Leader. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
- ^ "Eastern Kentucky 17–28 Kentucky". ESPN. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
- ^ Pilgrim, Jack. "Maxwell Hairston emerging as playmaker in Kentucky secondary". On3.com. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
- ^ Diamond, Jim. "Hairston's pair of pick-6s give Kentucky 45–28 vin over Vanderbilt". AP News. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
- ^ Maxwell Hairston College Stats
- ^ "Maxwell Hairston Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved February 28, 2025.
- ^ "Maxwell Hairston College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved February 28, 2025.
- ^ Miller, Ryan (April 25, 2025). "Maxwell Hairston: Bills pick wins NFL Draft as ultimate hype man". Democrat and Chronicle. Retrieved April 25, 2025.
- ^ "Brandon Beane: Bills researched Maxwell Hairston allegations, "he's an impeccable kid"". NBC Sports. April 28, 2025. Retrieved May 1, 2025.