Former defensive back at Kentucky. 2024: 1 interception, 4 pass breakups, 19 tackles.
6′1″ · 186 lb · West Bloomfield, MI
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
Recruiting
CB recruit
No. 953 nationally · Signed with Kentucky
No college snaps yet.
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
Former defensive back at Kentucky. 2024: 1 interception, 4 pass breakups, 19 tackles.
Maxwell Hairston
Erases the deep middle of the field. Third year in the Kentucky secondary, same address the whole way. Two straight seasons of it now: All-SEC again in 2024. The receipt: 7 tackles against Texas — Week 13, 2024.
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
How it ended
Three seasons at Kentucky, 87 tackles — drafted at #30 overall by Buffalo.
His career
Nobody recruited him. He earned the honors anyway.
The snaps went the other way.
Career arc
Trophy case · Confirmed honors
What the selectors said
ALL-SEC · 2ND TEAM
All-SEC 2nd team (2024)
Coaching lineage · 2022–2024
1 coachPlayed his entire career under Mark Stoops.
Where He Ended Up · NFL
BuffaloEntering 2nd NFL season
Season context · Team result + system
3 seasons under Mark Stoops — 18-20 over that span.
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Elite: passes defended (86th percentile). Concern: qb hurries (23rd percentile).
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits · Per-game
2024 season · 5 games
Home vs Road
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home4g | 3.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.8 |
| Road1g | 7.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
First half vs Second half
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-73g | 2.7 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| Weeks 8+2g | 5.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Will Stein
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Player standing · 2024
Picked for an all-conference team by at least one selector.
Game log · Week-by-week
2024 season · 5 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 2 | L 6-31vs South Carolina | 3 | 3 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 3 | L 12-13vs Georgia | 4 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 4 | W 41-6vs Ohio | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Wk 13 | L 14-31@ Texas | 7 | 6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 | Season-high 7 tackles |
| Wk 14 | L 14-41vs Louisville | 4 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 3 | |
| Total | 19 | 15 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1 | 4 |
Play style
Single-high range who erases the deep middle of the field.
CFB Index positional classification
Player DNA
Single-high range who erases the deep middle of the field.
His 2024 production profile sits closest to Thaddeus Dixon’s 2023 season.
Matches Thaddeus on
Differs from Thaddeus on
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Jai-Ayviauynn Celestine's junior season at Florida International (2025).
Matches Jai-Ayviauynn on
Player DNA