Maxwell Hairston 2025 NFL Draft: Kentucky CB Scouting Report
In a talented 2025 NFL Draft class, Maxwell Hairston is a talented cornerback who exudes athleticism. Hairston is a ballhawk CB from Kentucky with elite upside. Today, we’ll break down his NFL outlook in this draft report. We will be breaking down his strengths, areas for improvement, and his potential draft grade.
Maxwell Hairston 2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report
Hairston emerged as one of the SEC’s premier ballhawks during his time at Kentucky. A three-star recruit from West Bloomfield High School, Hairston redshirted in 2021. After that, he saw limited action in 2022 before breaking out as a full-time starter in 2023. His sophomore season showcased his playmaking ability, leading the SEC with five interceptions, including two pick-sixes in a single game against Vanderbilt—a Kentucky record.
Despite a shoulder injury limiting him to seven games in 2024, he maintained his reputation as a turnover machine, adding another pick-six against Ohio. With 20 career starts, six interceptions, and three career interception returns for touchdowns, Hairston declared for the 2025 NFL Draft as a redshirt junior, bringing a blend of instincts and athleticism to the table.
HT: 5112
WT: 183
40: 4.28
ARM: 3100
Furthermore, Hairston possesses a lean, wiry frame at 5’11” and 183 pounds, with long arms that enhance his ability to contest passes. His slight build raises questions about durability and physicality at the next level. However, his athletic testing suggests elite potential. At the 2025 NFL Combine, Hairston ran an impressive 4.28-second 40-yard dash, showcasing top-end speed rare for the position. His fluidity, quick-twitch movements, and loose hips allow him to mirror receivers effectively. Additionally, a 39.5-inch vertical highlights his explosiveness in contested situations.
Strengths
- Ball Skills and Instincts: Hairston’s knack for finding the football is his defining trait. He reads quarterbacks with veteran-like poise, baiting throws and capitalizing with soft hands. His six career interceptions and three pick-sixes highlight a rare ability to turn takeaways into points.
- Zone Coverage Savvy: Thrives in off-coverage and zone schemes (Cover 3, Cover 4), where he can keep plays in front of him and react decisively. His spatial awareness and route recognition allow him to jump underneath routes and disrupt passing windows.
- Athleticism: Hairston’s speed and agility make him a matchup nightmare for slot receivers and vertical threats. His closing burst is evident when driving downhill on short throws or recovering on deep balls.
- Competitive Toughness: Plays with a feisty edge, unafraid to mix it up at the catch point or engage in run support. His high motor and leadership (team captain in 2024) add intangible value.
- Return Ability: Dangerous with the ball in his hands, averaging over 26 yards per interception return in 2023. His vision and acceleration make him a scoring threat post-takeaway.
Areas for Improvement
- Frame and Play Strength: At 183 pounds, Hairston’s slight build limits his effectiveness against physical receivers and in run defense. He can be outmuscled at the catch point by bigger targets and struggles to shed blocks consistently.
- Man Coverage Discipline: While capable in press and off-man, he occasionally loses leverage against savvy route runners due to overaggressiveness or hand-fighting downfield. His lighter frame hinders him when jamming at the line.
- Tackling Inconsistency: He showed reliable tackling in 2023 (8% missed tackle rate), but his 2024 performance dipped—possibly due to the shoulder injury—leading to missed opportunities in open space.
- Injury Concern: A shoulder issue sidelined him for five games in 2024, raising questions about durability. Medical evaluations will be critical in the pre-draft process.
- Limited Experience: With only 20 starts, Hairston’s sample size is smaller than some prospects, and his exposure to elite competition was curtailed by injury in 2024.
Conclusion
Maxwell Hairston is a high-upside prospect with elite athletic traits and a proven ability to create turnovers. His slight frame and injury history temper expectations, but his instincts and explosiveness make him a compelling pick for teams needing a dynamic secondary presence. With a year of NFL strength training and technique refinement, Hairston has the tools to become a quality starter and a defensive game-changer.
Like Desmond Trufant, Hairston combines above-average length, fluid movement, and ball-hawking instincts in a lighter frame. While not as polished in man coverage as Trufant was entering the league, Hairston’s playmaking and speed draw parallels to the former Falcons standout.
Hairston projects as an outside cornerback in a zone-heavy scheme, where his instincts and ball skills can shine. Teams like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Minnesota Vikings, or Kansas City Chiefs—needing secondary depth and playmakers—could target him. He’s best suited for Cover 3 or quarters defenses that allow him to play off and attack the ball, though his speed suggests untapped potential in man-heavy systems with coaching. Early in his career, he could excel as a nickel or CB2. Ultimately, he has the upside of developing into a high-end NFL starter if he adds functional strength.
Round Grade: 2nd Round
Stats: Per Sports Reference
| Season | Team | G | Solo | Ast | PD | Int | IntTD | FF |
| 2022* | Kentucky | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023* | Kentucky | 13 | 55 | 13 | 6 | *5* | *2* | 1 |
| 2024 | Kentucky | 7 | 15 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Career | 32 | 71 | 18 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 3 |
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