Sep 23, 2023; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Kentucky Wildcats defensive back Maxwell Hairston (31) celebrates after after scoring his second touchdown on an interception against the Vanderbilt Commodores at FirstBank Stadium. Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

NFL team source: Bills' first-round draft pick has better CB tape than Travis Hunter

Originally posted on Buffalo Bills on SI
By Ralph Ventre | Last updated Apr 25, 2025 6:23 AM ET

One has to think that had Maxwell Hairston been two inches taller, he wouldn't have been available for the Buffalo Bills to select at No. 30 overall in the NFL Draft.

Nonetheless, the Bills picked the 5-foot-11 cornerback who ran the fastest 40-yard dash time at the NFL Combine this year. Hairston, a two-year starter for Kentucky, likely needs to add some mass to his 183-pound frame, but what he lacks in size, he makes up for with ferocity.

"He's definitely willing. At 183 [pounds], he's obviously not going to be a hammer, but all you need to be is willing and you just have to get guys to the ground. It doesn't have to look pretty," said NFL Films producer Greg Cosell about Hairston's perceived lack of prowess against the run.

Appearing on a special One Bills Live draft night edition, Cosell revealed an eye-opening opinion on Hairston, who was a team captain for Kentucky in 2024.

"To me, this is a really good pick. Believe it or not, I spoke to someone from a team this morning. This came from someone from a team," said Cosell. "The guy said to me that he thought Hairston, that his tape at corner was better than Travis Hunter's tape at corner. Take that for whatever it's worth, but that came from a team."

Considering Hunter won the Heisman Trophy and was the No. 2 overall draft pick on Thursday night, that is some high praise for Hairston.

As for what he's seen from Hairston on film, Cosell suggests he's a good fit for the Bills.

"He made plays in zone coverage where he understood route combinations and route concepts. As I said, you always have to get better at that at the NFL level, but I think they teach that really well in Buffalo. That's something I'm not really worried about because he's shown he can do it," said Cosell.

It's only one person's opinion, but it sounds like the Bills got a steal at the bottom of Round 1. Buffalo is slated to pick twice (No. 56 overall, No. 62) in Round 2 on Friday.