Meet 'Mad Max' Hairston, Bills' rookie CB with rare traits and perfect nickname

The Buffalo Bills used the No. 30 overall draft pick on a fast, undersized and energetic cornerback, who explains the genesis of his appropriate nickname

Kentucky Wildcats defensive back Maxwell Hairston (31) celebrates his stop on Akron Zips wide receiver Jasaiah Gathings in Saturday's game at Kroger Field in Lexington. Sept. 16, 2023 | Matt Stone/Louisville Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

He may be a bit smaller than the desired NFL prototype for his position, but they call him "Mad Max" for a reason.

What Buffalo Bills' first-round cornerback Maxwell Hairston lacks in body mass, he makes up for with vigor, aggression and athleticism.

The 5-foot-11 Hairston, who officially weighed in at 183 pounds at the NFL Combine, shows a junkyard dog mentality on film that supports his childhood nickname.

“So that actually came about back in Little League. I was a lot smaller growing up, but my coach always said, like, hey, he might be small, but you're not going to run over him. You're not going to bully him. He was like, that's Mad Max right there," said Hairston. "I was like, you know what? I like that. That's going to stick with me. It's fitting because when I get on the field, I really turn into Mad Max.”

Sep 21, 2024; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats defensive back Maxwell Hairston (1) runs onto the field before the game against the Ohio Bobcats | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Hairston was in "Mad Max" mode during his combine testing. He ran the fastest 40-yard dash (4.28) of all prospects in Indianapolis. His 9.63 Relative Athletic Score (RAS) places him amongst the top 3.8 percent of CB prospects from 1987 through 2025.

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

In addition to the athleticism, there is an element of versatility to Hairston's game, increasing the likelihood that he can be an immediate contributor.

“I feel like I'm so versatile that I can come out, play man, or I can play zone, I can play off man, I can play press man, I can disguise. So, I'm happy to just be able to go into an organization with the beautiful scheme that will allow me to get the ball back," said Hairston.

A good scheme fit with seemingly boundless energy, "Mad Max" looks like the early favorite for the Bills' CB2 spot.

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