2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Maxwell Hairston

Prospect Summary:

In the passing-driven NFL, teams are always on the lookout for cover corners. A good NFL defense will have at least three quality cornerbacks, and typically, four solid corners are needed to withstand injuries during the course of the season. With a robust need around the league, Hairston should have plenty of interest in his draft class.

Based on his 2023 performance, Hairston’s game has some definite strengths. He is a good athlete, a smooth mover, and has a good twitch. In addition to his athleticism, Hairston is tall and has good length to match up against bigger receivers. Hairston really excelled in zone coverage, as he has quality instincts and used those to get in good position while reading routes in zone coverage. Perhaps his best trait is his ball skills. Hairston really attacks the football, and he has good hands to grab an interception or slap passes away. Hairston’s zone coverage and ball skills make him a nice fit for zone-based defenses and teams that like to run Tampa 2 coverage.

There are areas for Hairston to improve in 2024 and beyond. He needs to get stronger as he is thin for the NFL. Hairston’s play strength is lacking, so adding some power to his frame is necessary for battling pro wide outs. Based on the tape, there are questions about Hairston’s explosion and how fast he is. It will be interesting to see how he performs against speed receivers in 2024 and how he times in pre-draft workouts.