The 2025 NFL Draft will be a great event for teams to start building for their future. Here is the Maxwell Hairston NFL Draft Profile.
Position: Cornerback
School: Kentucky
Size: 5-foot-11, 183 pounds
Class: Redshirt Junior
2024 stats: 19 total tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 sack, 1 interception, 4 passes defended, 1 touchdown
Hairston was a three-star recruit in the class of 2021 who signed with Kentucky out of Michigan. He redshirted his first season on campus, then played sparingly in 2022. For the 2023 season, Hairston 68 total tackles, five interceptions and six passes defended. He helped the Wildcats win seven games that season. In 2024, Hairston registered 19 tackles, one interception and four passes defended in seven games played. He missed time with a shoulder injury and Kentucky was only able to win four games.
Following the season, Hairston declared for the 2025 NFL Draft. He is currently projected to be a first or second-round pick.
Hairston is a good athlete with great speed. He shows good acceleration and agility, but his straight-line speed is particularly impressive. He ran the 40-yard dash at 4.28 seconds and that shows up on tape. Along with good speed to keep up with receivers, he shows good recovery speed as well to catch up with them.
His ball skills are amazing and resulted in good production at the college level. He tracks the ball well in the air. In zone coverage, he reads the play well and gets a good jump on the ball. He is capable of coming up with interceptions or pass breakups. Hairston had three interception return touchdowns in his career.
He has shown to be proficient in zone coverage during his college career. Hairston maintains good eye balance between the receiver and the quarterback. He uses his instincts well and sees the field clearly when in zone coverage. Hairston can fit right into a defense that plays a lot of zone at the next level.
Hairston is a smaller outside corner. He stands at 5-foot-11 and 183 pounds, which will make it tough for him to match up with bigger wide receivers at the next level. Hairston needs to fill out his frame to add play strength to help him battle those bigger targets. He has decent length, but could use his length more effective with more play strength.
He is a bit of a greedy defender, which can get him into trouble. Hairston can bite on double moves and pump fakes by the quarterback. Hairston can be so eager to make a play that he ends up giving up big ones. If he can play with more discipline, it will limit the number of big plays he gives up.
While he is willing to help against the run, he is limited in how he can help. Hairston can struggle to shed blocks, even ones made by wide receivers. On top of that, he can miss his fair share of tackles. Adding strength will help him be a more impactful run defender, but his ceiling may be limited.
Projected Draft Range: First Round Pick-Second Round Pick
Draft Grade: First Round Pick
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