Bills' CB Maxwell Hairston: Buffalo's No. 24 Player Enters Critical Sophomore Year

As the team enjoys its summer break, Bills On SI will unveil its Top 25 Player Rankings (based upon expected impact) for the 2026 season. CB Maxwell Hairston follows RB Ty Johnson at No. 24.

The Buffalo Bills' secondary underwent drastic changes in the 2026 NFL offseason.

However, there's a chance that the biggest change comes from within, courtesy of the team's 2025 first-round pick having a year of experience under his belt.

Maxwell Hairston, who was selected 30th overall in that year's draft, played relatively sparingly in 2025, and that has put him in a difficult position entering 2026, which On SI's Alex Brasky recently pointed out.

With fellow second-year defensive back Jordan Hancock and a pair of rookie corners in second-rounder Davison Igbinosun and seventh-round pick Toriano Pride Jr. providing competition, Hairston will face a harder challenge to find a niche in Buffalo's secondary.

Why is Hairston so important?

Nov 9, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Bills cornerback Maxwell Hairston (31) waits for the snap against the Miami Dolphins during the second quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. | Jeff Romance-Imagn Images

"I got antsy to go get [Igbinosun]. Well, I was going to try to be patient, but I saw corners going. And I honestly, as we started this draft, thought that was the biggest hole in our roster, was corner," general manager Brandon Beane said of the team's need for corners in the draft.

The Bills saw cornerbacks Cam Lewis and Tre'Davious White suffer injuries that took them out for a few plays in their divisional-round defeat against the Denver Broncos which led to touchdowns, and Hairston will be key to ensuring that doesn't happen again.

In 2025, Hairston missed the first six games of the season due to an LCL sprain he suffered in a preseason practice that caused him to land on injured reserve. He made his NFL debut in Week 8 against the Carolina Panthers and intercepted Patrick Mahomes the following week for his first NFL pick.

Overall, Hairston made 18 tackles, broke up five passes and intercepted two in 11 games with three starts in 2025.

Hairston has the athleticism to keep up with NFL defensive backs, as seen by his 4.28-second 40-yard dash at the 2025 NFL Combine, the fastest such time that year. He can play a variety of coverages and has the ball-hawking skills to go with it.

Hairston's background

Hairston was born on August 6, 2003 in West Bloomfield, Michigan and was a three-star recruit coming out of West Bloomfield High School. He committed to play for the Kentucky Wildcats after receiving offers from 19 schools.

Hairston broke out in his sophomore season in 2023, making 68 tackles and leading the SEC with five interceptions, but missed five games in 2024 due to a shoulder injury.

The rest of the Top 25 so far

25: RB Ty Johnson, June 16

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