Bills Central

Bills’ first-four NFL Draft picks tied through special similarities

Buffalo selected Max Hairston, T.J. Sanders, Landon Jackson, and Deone Walker across the first four rounds of the draft
Khari Demos|
Arkansas Razorbacks defensive lineman Landon Jackson (40).
Arkansas Razorbacks defensive lineman Landon Jackson (40). | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

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Max Hairston, T.J. Sanders, Landon Jackson, and Deone Walker. What do they all have in common?

Of course, they all became Buffalo Bills during the 2025 NFL Draft, but it runs deeper than that.

All four are freaky athletic defenders hailing from the SEC. And if Bills general manager Brandon Beane was going to bet on anything in this draft, clearly it's been taking super freaks from the best conference in college football.

Jackson (9.75), Hairston (9.63), and Sanders (9.38) posted elite raw athletic scores (RAS). And although Walker's RAS wasn't off the charts, his movement skills for a mammoth man (6-foot-7, 331 pounds) are very rare.

Historically, the SEC has been an NFL pipeline, particularly for defensive backs and defensive linemen. Of the NCAA-leading 79 players selected out of the SEC in this draft, 39 of them were defensive players.

Deone Walker
American team defensive lineman Deone Walker of Kentucky (0). | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

It’s nice to know that Buffalo had eyes on these guys throughout the process. All four were competitors at the Senior Bowl. Walker, Hairston, and Sanders were all Bills' top-30 visitors. Clearly, Walker caught the Buffalo brass' eyes while they were scouting a fellow Wildcat in Hairston.

It's nice to know that the Bills had a theme and they stuck with it through their first set of picks. Which could prove to be imperative in the future.

Buffalo's biggest issues with teams late in the postseason have almost always been tied to its defensive struggles. Particularly against the Chiefs, the Bills' defense has looked slow and ineffective overall.

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But adding a group like this can help change that for Buffalo. If Beane and Sean McDermott are betting on anything with this class, it's with the pedigree of four All-SEC performers who bring dynamic athletic traits to the field.

Considering the investment the Bills made in them and defensive selections as a whole, the makeup of their defense will be tied to these names for years to come.

Max Hairston
Kentucky Wildcats defensive back Max Hairston (31). | Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

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Khari Demos
KHARI DEMOS

Khari Demos is an award-winning sports media creator and is a contributor for Bills On SI. He has written sports betting article covering the NFL for The Athletic and has written pieces about the NBA, MLB, college football and basketball, and more, throughout his career.

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