By CHUCK POLLOCK, Wellsville Sun Senior Columnist
One of the most stunning revelations corollary to last year’s NFL Draft was several teams admitting they did not have 32 players with first-round grades and that wasn’t the exception … it was the rule.
Indeed, Bills general manager Brandon Beane conceded that in most drafts, he and his staff have only 24 or 25 players with first-round grades.
He didn’t say whether one of them was Keon Coleman, for whom Beane traded down to the first pick of the second round from Kansas City — No. 33 overall — but he took some heat for it as, after one year, the Chiefs got more from Xavier Worthy, whom they acquired in the deal, than Buffalo got from Coleman.
We don’t know where the Bills ranked cornerback Maxwell Hairston from Kentucky their first-round pick — 30th overall —Thursday night in Green Bay, but we do know he fills a position of need.
My draft guide of choice this year was Lindy’s and here’s how it assessed Hairston, the 5-11, 175-pound speedster (4.37 40-yard dash).
Overview: Hairston got his first career reps in his redshirt sophomore season and showed himself to be a player to keep an eye on in the Vanderbilt game when he returned two interceptions for touchdowns, setting a school record. He became a team captain and though his 2024 season was hampered by injury, in his seven games he added another pick-six.
Strengths: Extremely fast, keeps pace with any and all receivers. Puts his hand out consistently to knock the ball out of receivers’ hands. Works hard to get tackles.
Weaknesses: Built like a rail and will have a hard time defending physical receivers. Hard to trust in his run defense.Not great in the press game, his jam is weak and receivers can continue their routes without much trouble. Tackling form is pretty rough and the lack of requisite strength makes it difficult to bring guys down.
Pro view: Hairston warrants a Day 2 selection (second or third round).
The Bills have two second-round picks tonight at 56 and 62 with the second and third rounds commencing at 7 o’clock.
IF YOU’RE WONDERING, Lindy’s listed 22 players who were actually taken in the first round. Hairston wasn’t mentioned in the first two rounds. The biggest surprise not selected was Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders
(Chuck Pollock, a Wellsville Sun and Olean Star senior sports columnist, can be reached at cpollock@wnynet.net.)
Read more from Chuck:
• Bills need a cornerback, but they don’t need to pick one in the first round
• Part 1, a look at the 2025 NFL draft for the Bills
• The Bills have plenty of holes to fill in draft
• Catching up with Hornell’s Gene Mastin and the years before three-straight state football titles
• Mark Schmidt and St. Bonaventure Bonnies men’s basketball team looking at a rebuild
• Good news, bad news on high school hoops; thoughts on George Foreman
• Why the Bona NIT loss took place
• An embarrassing week for Beane who was perfect in free agency
• An interesting look at St. Bonaventure’s A-10 matchups
• St. Bonaventure joins $2.8 million settlement to get past and current student-athletes paid
• St. Joe’s is looming as a big test for the Bonnies
• A critical stretch for St. Bonaventure basketball
• Part II: McDermott is building a team to win the Super Bowl, not beat the Chiefs
• It was a different McDermott this season
• A look back at the ‘Super’ Bowl
• Pollock prediction on the Super Bowl and his annual quiz
• Part 2: What does Brandon Beane have to do to make the Buffalo Bills better?
• Part 1: Buffalo Bills’ GM Brandon Beane discusses 2024 season
Don Scholla, the passing of an Icon
• A huge win over Dayton for the Bonnies
• The Chiefs still have the Bills’ number
• Pollock Prediction: Chiefs 28, Bills 25 (actual score 32-29)
• Allen and the Bills heading to the AFC Championship game
• Josh Allen wants to hear Mr. Brightside against the Ravens
• Win over Richmond gets St. Bonaventure Bonnies ready for A-10 matchup with Duquesne
• Offensive line of the Buffalo Bills knocked out the Broncos
• Pollock Prediction: Broncos loom as a threat but the Bills will win
• McDermott knew the Bills would host the Broncos
• The Bills are waiting to see who they play
• Where the St. Bonaventure victory over VCU ranks in program history
• Josh Allen showed why he should be the NFL MVP
• Pollock Prediction: Bills will beat Jets in a must-win game for playoff seeding
• What happened during those six lost days
• Bills didn’t play with a sense of urgency against the Patriots
• Bills passed a big test against the Lions
• The media missed the point with questions of McDermott
• We did not expect the Rams-Bills results as Josh Allen sets major records
• Will the Bills be motivated against the Rams?
• Schmidt doesn’t want the Bonnies to get caught up in 12-1 talk
• A look at the rise under Sean McDermott
• The snow and the Buffalo Bills were too much for the 49ers
• St. Bonaventure Bonnies put unbeaten hoops record on the line in ESPN Tournament
• Pollock Prediction on San Fran at Buffalo Sunday night game
• A look at Terry Pegula’s beginnings in Olean and his competitive drive to win
• A look at McDermott’s smart play-calling and why aren’t we talking more about James Cook?
• Can the Bills do this to the Chiefs in the playoffs? Josh Allen touchdown run seals victory
• Pollock predicts a one-point Kansas City victory
• What happened to this being a rebuilding season for the Buffalo Bills?
• A dominating performance by the Bills
• Pollock predicts a Bills victory over the Colts on the road
• Thoughts on the 61-yard Bass field goal and where the Bills sit
• Solid win to open the season for the Bonnies
• Bass vindicated by 61-yard field goal to beat the Dolphins
• Bills don’t own the Dolphins but have an option to buy; prediction 27-20 (final was 30-27)
• The season is here for St. Bonaventure basketball
• St. Bonaventure speaks out, “We got Woj”
• Mark Schmidt on the NIL deals and the Bona NIT mess
• Pollock on the passing of St. Bonaventure legend Paul Hoffman
• Pollock on listening to the radio and the days of Willie Mays
• Houghton’s Phil Stockin gets Cazzie Russell to the Castle in Olean and then a title for the Knicks?
• The right hire for St. Bonaventure to lead the athletic department
• The inside story on why WPIG left the Bonnies after 74 years and a Gary Nease update
• Bill Walton was must-see basketball when he played in Buffalo for the Braves
