Maxwell Hairston Is SEC Speed Personified
April 19th, 2025
Super fast Kentucky CB Maxwell Hairston.
Joe doesn’t watch a whole lot of SEC ball, though Joe’s begun to shift on this since Oklahoma and Texas joined the conference.
Still, Joe doesn’t live in a cave and knows year after year, pound for pound, the SEC has talent up and down the rosters of just about every NFL team.
As a result, Joe prefers Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht to draft SEC skill players if all other things are equal.
That brings Joe to Kentucky cornerback Maxwell Hairston. The dude is lightning fast (you know, SEC speed?) and you simply cannot replace speed. Speed kills.
And while Hairston is a wee bit on the short side for Todd Bowles — 5-11 wth 4.28 speed and is not shy about sticking his nose into traffic — Joe thinks his talent compensates for being an inch too short.
In his draft guide “The Beast,” Dane Brugler has Hairston as his No. 4 corner in the draft come Thursday.
SUMMARY: A two-year starter at Kentucky, Hairston was the field cornerback in defensive coordinator Brad White’s scheme with a balanced mix of man and zone. He put himself on the NFL radar with an SEC-best five interceptions in 2023 and tied the school record with three career pick sixes. A fluid mover with A-plus speed, Hairston moves fairly effortlessly in all areas of the field. He plays to his help in man-to-man coverage while also showing conviction and awareness in Cover 3. He is a natural making plays at the catch point, but he’s also more scrappy than strong, which will show against physical NFL receivers and in run support.
A two-year starter at Kentucky, Hairston was the field cornerback in defensive coordinator Brad White’s scheme with a balanced mix of man and zone. He put himself on the NFL radar with an SEC-best five interceptions in 2023 and tied the school record with three career pick-sixes. A fluid
mover with A-plus speed, Hairston moves fairly effortlessly in all areas of the field. He plays to his help in man-to-man coverage while also showing conviction and awareness in Cover 3. He is a natural making plays at the catch point, but he’s also more scrappy than strong, which will show against physical NFL receivers and in run support. Overall, Hairston is a competitive, lanky athlete who feels routes developing around him and plays with the reactionary movements and ball skills to fit a variety of coverages. If he makes the necessary improvements as a tackler, he has the talent to become a capable NFL starter early in his career.
In his draft tome “2025 Football Gameplan Draft Guide,” Emory Hunt, the Czar of the Playbook, has Hairston rated as his No. 9 corner, basically because Hunt doesn’t like Hairston’s tackling and thinks he needs to bulk up to defend bigger receivers.
– Insane closing speed and recovery speed. Has the elite trait that you can’t coach in that regard. That gives him the freedom to bait QB in making certain throws that he can close on to turn the ball over.
– Great pursuit angles, both in the run game and when covering crossing routes. In fact, he’s able to stay lock step with the receiver on those crossers.
– Attacks the ball with consistency. Excellent ball awareness and ball skills.
Reading both Brugler and Hunt’s breakdown of Hairston, there is a lot to like, specifically Hairston’s speed.
While Hairston seems unafraid of contact, he doesn’t like to wrap up. That can be coached up.
If Licht wants to trade back, just a little bit, this Hairston ought to be in Licht’s crosshairs.
April 19th, 2025 at 11:51 am
4.28? Welp that’s fast. Can he return kicks and punts? That way Coach Bowles can stop putting franchise running back Bucky Irving deep to return kick offs.
April 19th, 2025 at 11:57 am
Would be a swell pick at number 53.
The concerns would be his shoulder — right. Something missing with his tackling. One site had him at 19 tackles for the 7 games played last year. That is pretty low.
4 other Kentucky DBs on that same site had those guys with 63, 55, 47 and 46 tackles as a comparison thru the 12 games they played.
I am with Joe though, that elite speed cannot be coached.
April 19th, 2025 at 11:59 am
Lt. Dan.
The new kickoff return rules changed, it seems like over 50 percent of the teams went to running backs last year over other positions.
April 19th, 2025 at 12:06 pm
100% Yes to this guy.
Get him, Licht!
April 19th, 2025 at 12:06 pm
SEC? Call it what it is – pro football for 18 to 22 year olds. These dudes are making a lot of money and have zero school pride.
April 19th, 2025 at 12:09 pm
This guy is basically Deion Sanders.
April 19th, 2025 at 12:15 pm
Joe, why are you focusing a single prospect. Could just read that in the endless Mel Kiuper write-ups. I would like to know what you think of the difference between Mike Green, Mykel Williams, and James Pierce Jr. Or difference between Derrik Harman, Walter Nolen and Ken Grant.
April 19th, 2025 at 12:24 pm
??? Joe isn’t. Not at all. Not remotely so. Not sure what you mean by that comment? Joe has been more diversified this spring in his stories of college prospects than maybe he has ever been.
Which of his 28 mock drafts? Joe thinks he brings more to the table from a wider range of better analysts than two sentences from Kiper. Just in this article alone, Brugler and Hunt offer more intel than Kiper does in one of his 85 mocks.
Shoot, Joe watches a lot of college football but not that much. And when Joe does watch college football, he watches the game (if one is only focused on one player, then he/she is not watching the game). If Joe knew the intricate differences between all of those guys, he’d be working in the NFL making a whole lot more money.
April 19th, 2025 at 12:26 pm
There’s a really fast dwarf playing for the junior college down the street. I’m hoping Jason signs him as UDFA, then Vita can hurl him over the LOS to sack the quarterback. Thanks Mike Leach.
April 19th, 2025 at 12:38 pm
Aqualung- If dwarf tossing were legal, Belichick would have tried it by now.
April 19th, 2025 at 12:49 pm
2n Rounder
April 19th, 2025 at 1:24 pm
Either Barton or Hairston should be the 1st rd pick.
April 19th, 2025 at 1:24 pm
*Barron or Hairston
April 19th, 2025 at 1:56 pm
If the Bucs drafted all these players they would have a 100 player roster.
April 19th, 2025 at 2:59 pm
This guy is not ever going to become a good tackler. In that respect, he will fit right in with the Bucs secondary of poor tacklers. Surely, there will be bigger CB’s available in round 3-4. This guy looks like a candidate for some team’s IR.
April 19th, 2025 at 3:03 pm
Irish mist
Legality is no obstacle for Billy B.
April 19th, 2025 at 3:34 pm
” scheme with a balanced mix of man and zone.”
Bingo eh? A versatile DB with the smarts to play in more than one defense?
Sounds like a perfect players for Bowles. No more excuses about Todd’s D being “too complicated” for players to learn.
Speaking of critics of Todd’s D props to you Aqualung! Since you’ve gotten off your “Johnny One Note” you’ve become entertaining again! Agreed with you yesterday and now you introduce some humor.
And while it’s obviously a joke in reality what could the NFL say if Vea did take a dwarf and throw him over the line? Wouldn’t it be perhaps an antidote to the “Tush Push”.
April 19th, 2025 at 3:54 pm
@geno711 a far a the difference in tackles between him and his counterparts, you have to wonder if that’s bc they aren’t throwing his direction as often. So those numbers are interesting, but, depending, could indicate a negative, or a positive.
April 19th, 2025 at 4:13 pm
Hairston is by no means a bad prospect for some team but that team isn’t the Bucs. Bowles said after the season he did not have the personnel to play man. I would love to see the Bucs remedy that in the draft and thus add another dimension to the Bucs slutty pass defense. Scaredy cats like Hairston are not what the Bucs need. The Bucs need long strong CBs or guys who play bigger than their britches with menace and there are a ton of those in this draft.
April 19th, 2025 at 4:46 pm
@Geno: I’m aware of the kickoff rules change. That is why I proceeded Bucky’s name with “franchise”. To me it smacks of having Godwin on the field catching a pass against the Ravens when the game is clearly over. No need to risk the studs unnecessarily. Back up’s please.
April 19th, 2025 at 5:22 pm
Lt. Dan, they haven’t had Bucky returning kickoffs. Tucker is our kickoff returner and Palmer has been returning punts. I like Tucker returning kickoffs but for some reason Palmer makes me uncomfortable when he’s settling under punts. Wouldn’t be bad to find an ace who could do both.
April 19th, 2025 at 5:27 pm
And stpetebucsfan, encouraging Aqualung and midget tossing? Okay, it is funny. And probably less chance of injury than the tush push. At least for everyone except the poor midget!
April 19th, 2025 at 6:14 pm
With that speed, he would be great at nickel and stop some of the shallow dragging routes that we can never stop
April 19th, 2025 at 6:16 pm
HopeIn1Hand… Says:
April 19th, 2025 at 4:13 pm
Hairston is by no means a bad prospect for some team but that team isn’t the Bucs. Bowles said after the season he did not have the personnel to play man. I would love to see the Bucs remedy that in the draft and thus add another dimension to the Bucs slutty pass defense. Scaredy cats like Hairston are not what the Bucs need. The Bucs need long strong CBs or guys who play bigger than their britches with menace and there are a ton of those in this draft.
^^^^^^^
Slutty pass defense? Hahaha
April 19th, 2025 at 6:45 pm
@Kenton: Week 9 v Chiefs and others. Franchise RB returning kick offs is no bueno.
April 19th, 2025 at 7:08 pm
Not a first round guy.
He could be good but at 19?
No way.
April 19th, 2025 at 7:18 pm
Enough! I can not take it anymore.
April 19th, 2025 at 7:21 pm
Credit for the Vita-dwarf toss- QB sack must be given to JBF for publishing Mike Leach’s idea for short yardage offense. Just in case anyone missed that the other day.
April 19th, 2025 at 7:37 pm
I’ve always looked at the mock drafts as a way to just familiarize yourself with the players and the other nfl teams. Some fans think the mocks are supposed to be accurate, they’re really not. . They might enjoy them more if they let that go. If you have at least read a brief summary of the 2 hundred or so players (only 100 or so that in positions the Bucs need this year) you will enjoy day 2 & 3. I love crossing off all the drafted players on my list & then it’s time for the mad scramble of UDFA. Or the desert draft. Desert free for all-who fork over big signing bonuses to be more accurate.
April 19th, 2025 at 8:33 pm
Give the guy credit (can’t remember who) that brought it to light. Pretty funny and sounds exactly like Leach. LOL But thanks though man.
April 19th, 2025 at 8:43 pm
^^^^^
Agree Stan.
April 20th, 2025 at 1:05 am
I don’t think this guy is a fit for Tampa. You see when Tampa goes into that cover zero zone, sure handed tackling becomes a high priority. I don’t see that here. No bueno mang. Tampa needs that great big safety out of South Carolina. That real fast one.
April 20th, 2025 at 1:50 am
He is not making it to Bucs second round pick and Licht is not trading up. Lets focus on what is apt to be there for us.
April 20th, 2025 at 7:37 am
Trade down in the first then use the pic to trade up in the second to pick him.
He is a great 2nd round prospect
April 20th, 2025 at 7:39 am
If this kid is available a little further back since we only have six pics out of the seven rounds would be nice to pick up an extra second third or fourth round pick on a trade back
April 20th, 2025 at 8:15 am
I’m guessing he is one of the guys that will be looked at for pick 53 , if he is still around. Proven SEC and Big Ten talent that have played a lot of games and have stayed healthy are good bets.
April 20th, 2025 at 3:21 pm
Being from Kentucky, I would consider taking him at #53 if he’s there… Especially, if he could be our new ‘full-time’ Return-Man… Now, that would be pretty exciting (just as long as they can trust him not to turn the ball over and catch the damn thing).
April 21st, 2025 at 12:16 pm
He would be GREAT, but we need to trade down and pick him up in the 2nd. Splurge on defense