Bills First-Round Pick Suffers Potential Setback Before Rookie Season

Bills First-Round Pick Suffers Potential Setback Before Rookie Season originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

It’s been a rugged opening week of training camp in western New York, with Sean McDermott’s squad already missing key contributors on both sides of the ball.

The Buffalo Bills opened practice in pads at St. John Fisher University on Monday, carrying a tally of 11 players unable to take part, including tight end Dalton Kincaid (knee) and veteran kicker Tyler Bass (pelvic soreness).

Perhaps the most alarming development came early Tuesday morning, when Buffalo’s prized 2025 first‑round selection, cornerback Maxwell Hairston, suffered an injury to his right knee roughly 50 minutes into practice.

According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, Hairston is now getting his knee checked out for further evaluation.

A Quick Primer on Maxwell Hairston

Background & measurables: Born Aug. 6, 2003, in West Bloomfield, Michigan, Hairston stands 5‑foot‑11 and checks in at 183 pounds. He turned heads at Kentucky with blazing straight‑line speed, reportedly a 4.28‑second 40‑yard dash at the NFL Combine, and sticky recovery skills once a play got past him.

College resume: Over three seasons (2022–24) in Lexington, he amassed 71 tackles and 10 pass deflections, earning second‑team All‑SEC honors in back‑to‑back years (2023-24). In 2023 he led the SEC with five interceptions (including two returned for touchdowns) and logged 68 combined tackles.

NFL draft & expectations: Buffalo selected him with the 30th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, a high investment at a long‑vacant boundary‑corner spot. After Hairston slid to the Bills, GM Brandon Beane described him as a hopeful “missing piece” in the defense.

Buffalo Bills cornerback Maxwell Hairston reacts after a play during a Kentucky Wildcats college football game.© Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Buffalo’s 2024 NFL Season in Review

The Bills closed the 2024 regular season at 13-4, their best win total since the NFL expanded to 17 games, and captured the AFC East for the fifth straight year.

Offensively, Josh Allen led the league’s second-best offense that scored 525 points (30.9 per game), while the defense allowed just 21.6 points per contest (11th overall).

Buffalo earned the No. 2 seed and played the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game, losing 32-29 on a late field goal at Arrowhead Stadium on Jan. 26.

What Maxwell Hairston’s Injury Could Mean for Buffalo in 2025

Looking ahead to this season, expectations remain sky‑high in Orchard Park.

Allen is under contract through 2028 and offensive coordinator Joe Brady has cemented an explosive scheme. On defense, adding a cornerback of Hairston’s caliber was deemed critical to challenge high‑octane passing attacks in the AFC.

If the injury proves minor, a sprain or bone bruise, Hairston could return early in camp and resume his bid for a starting role opposite Christian Benford. But any ligament damage, particularly to the ACL or MCL, could sideline him for the season’s first half or longer, forcing the Bills to rely on veteran depth.

For a defense that allowed the ninth most passing yards last year (3,843), missing a 2025 first‑round pick would be a significant blow, especially if Buffalo aims to dethrone the Chiefs in the AFC.

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 29, 2025, where it first appeared.

Bills First-Round Pick Suffers Potential Setback Before Rookie Season

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