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2025 NFL Draft: Contract details revealed for Bills first round pick Maxwell Hairston

Brian Jones Profile Picby:Brian Jones•04/24/25•

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Sep 21, 2024; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats defensive back Maxwell Hairston (1) runs onto the field before the game against the Ohio Bobcats at Kroger Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images
Sep 21, 2024; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats defensive back Maxwell Hairston (1) runs onto the field before the game against the Ohio Bobcats at Kroger Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

The contract details have been revealed for Maxwell Hairston who was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Per Spotrac, Hairston is expected to sign a four-year contract (with a fifth-year option) for $13,855,552 with a signing bonus of $6,716,764.

Maxwell Hairston, a cornerback from Kentucky, missed five games last season due to a shoulder injury. He started seven games in 2024 and recorded 19 tackles, one sack, four passes defended and interception that was returned for a touchdown.

What NFL Draft experts think about Maxwell Hairston

“Hairston is a lean, athletic cornerback with ideal play speed and fluidity,” Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com wrote before the draft. “In press coverage, he incorporates a one-hand jam before turning and carrying vertical routes. He has plenty of burst/speed. In off coverage, he likes to settle and catch receivers at the break point. He’ll need to play cleaner with his hands down the field at the next level. In Kentucky’s defense, he rolled back to play in the middle of the field versus certain formations/motions, but he was late to diagnose and react from that alignment. He’s willing in run support and is a dynamic blitzer.”

Lance Zierlein of NFL.com gave a draft analysis of Hairston and predicted he would be drafted in the first round. “Slender outside cornerback with long arms and impressive ball production,” Zierlein wrote. “Hairston is capable of playing all forms of zone and man coverage. He anticipates well with his eyes forward and has the burst to take the ball away, posting six interceptions (three returned for TDs) over his last 20 games.

“He stays connected in man coverage with good agility and fluidity but needs to do a better job of locating the football downfield. He will struggle to contest big wideouts and his run support will turn off some teams. Hairston has the athleticism and on-ball talent to become a starter, but he needs to prove he can hold up to the rigors and physicality of the NFL game.”