The Buffalo Bills wanted to add speed to their defense and they got it with cornerback Max Hairston, the fastest man at the NFL Scouting Combine with a 4.28-second 40-yard dash.

While the guy can flat-out fly, his college co-defensive coordinator says there’s much more to his game than just fleet feet.

“Believe it or not, he’s fast OK, he can run, but that’s not even his best attribute,” said Chris Collins, co-defensive coordinator at the University of Kentucky. “The kid has a tremendous knack of being able to find the football and play the football in the air. I think he’s got an opportunity when the ball is in the air, he’s confident in his ball skills and being able to go attack it.”

That ability led to six interceptions in college, where he tied the Kentucky program record with three INTs returned for touchdowns.

From Collins’s perspective, it goes to film study, being a student of the game, honing his craft and harnessing his natural talents.

“I think you saw it a little bit in his maturation process throughout his play, in terms of being able to play with a little bit more pace and tempo,” Collins said. “Learning how to use that speed because it can be a blessing, it can be a tremendous blessing, but it can also play a curse when you’re playing out of control. Learning how to play at that speed and learning what we call ‘play like a point guard’. Play with pace and you be the dictator of how fast you’re going to play.”

Collins believes Hairston has the tools to succeed in both zone and man coverage in the NFL with his smarts and athleticism. He excelled in the zone for the Wildcats, but Collins says his athleticism could make him an even better man corner.

“That ability to combine those two is what makes him unique,” Collins said. “A guy that can see it on tape, dissect it, study it, and then recognize it right on the field so he elevates his god-given ability and that’s his ability to go finish on the football.”

The biggest knock against Hairston has been his tackling. Collins calls him a willing tackler who has shown he can do it effectively in the past, but dealt with a shoulder injury that made it more difficult last season. 

Bills general manager Brandon Beane said Hariston got “big boy’ed” at times because of his slender 183-pound frame.

“When you look back at his 2023 season, he was one of our better tacklers on the perimeter,” Collins said. “That was his first year with a kind of splash on the scene type of year. His angles to the ball, angles of approach I think are really important. Controlling your leverage as a tackler is really important. He does those things well.”

With big-time traits comes a big-time personality and a drive to be the best in the biggest moments.

“He’s a DB. He’s a DB through and through,” Collins said. “He wants eyes on him. He enjoys the pressure that comes with it, but different. He’s a tremendous team guy. He really does want to see everyone succeed.”

While the Bills typically take it slow with rookies, Hairston has a chance to win the starting job right away as he competes with the returning Tre’Davious White and Dane Jackson.