Buffalo Bills first-round pick named NFL Rookie of the Year favorite

The Buffalo Bills were a slow secondary in 2024, which led them to draft Kentucky cornerback Max Hairston in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Putting the speedster opposite Christian Benford will give the Bills someone who can keep up with the likes of Xavier Worthy in an all-but-guaranteed playoff matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Many believe in Hairston, including ESPN analyst Ben Solak.

"Hairston will see targets playing opposite Christian Benford, and he has the ball skills and explosive play ability to create not just interceptions but also touchdown returns," Solak writes.

In total, Solak ranked Hairston as the fifth-likeliest player to win Defensive Rookie of the Year in his personal rankings. The first four are as follows:

1. DT Mykel Williams, San Francisco 49ers
2. LB Jalon Walker, Atlanta Falcons
3. EDGE Abdul Carter, New York Giants
4. EDGE Shemar Stewart, Cincinnati Bengals

The Bills are hopeful Hairston is as talented as Solak believes him to be. The Bills have had bad luck when it comes to their first-round picks as of late, and need Hairston to break that streak.

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