ESPN's Mel Kiper is all aboard the Maxwell Hairston Hype Train

Do you hear that sound? You can hear it in Kentucky all the way from Indianapolis. That’s the sound of Mel Kiper conducting the Maxwell Hairston Hype Train.

The NFL Combine is currently underway in Indianapolis as front office personnel gather to evaluate Draft prospects in person. The athletic testing on the field at Lucas Oil Stadium is just as important as the medical evals and the face-to-face meetings between teams and players. It’s a great opportunity for guys like Hairston to make money.

The former Kentucky Wildcat is undergoing medical examinations today. This can dismiss any concerns teams might have about Hairston after he missed half of the 2024 campaign and played with a broken hand during the 2023 season. On Friday, you can watch Hairston show off his athleticism on the NFL Network during the on-field workouts at the home of the Colts.

Before NFL officials flooded the Indianapolis Convention Center, Draft prognosticators set a baseline with mock drafts. Nobody is higher on Maxwell Hairston than the man who invented the industry, ESPN’s Mel Kiper.

Kiper believes the former Cat is a future first round pick, slotting Hairston at No. 29 overall to the Washington Commanders. “Hairston has terrific awareness in coverage, and his recognition skills and speed allow him to get to the ball before it arrives,” writes Kiper. “He had six interceptions over his past two seasons.”

If Hairston goes that high, that would make Hairston CB4, if you consider Travis Hunter a cornerback. As Adam Luckett wrote earlier this week, the opportunity is there for Hairston to earn a big payday. It’s a big week for the former Wildcat in Indianapolis.

Kentucky is on a Roll with NFL Defensive Backs

Kentucky has never had a defensive back taken in the first round of the NFL Draft. Even if Hairston does not climb in the first round, the Detroit native is certainly on his way to hearing his name called during the three-day event in Green Bay. Hairston will become the fifth Kentucky defensive back selected in the last five NFL Drafts. That success is a reason why four-star talent Martels Carter decided to commit to Kentucky.

“That was a huge thing for me,” the true freshman told KSR on Tuesday. “When Alabama’s coach left, Coach Stoops is the No. 1 coach at putting DBs in the league now. That’s the main thing for me because that’s what I wanna do. I want to go to the league.”

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