ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Maxwell Hairston’s blistering speed wasn’t the only thing that helped convince Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane to select the Kentucky cornerback in the first round of the NFL draft on Thursday night.

What impressed Beane more, aside from filling Buffalo’s most pressing offseason need, was the 21-year-old’s ability to recover when he gets beaten in coverage. It was a quality evident in one play the GM and Hairston watched during their meeting at the NFL combine in Indianapolis two months ago.

In a game against Texas last year, Longhorns receiver Isaiah Bond got a few steps on Hairston before the cornerback swiveled and, without losing his balance, chased down the receiver in time to break up a reception.

“It’s hard to have recovery speed like that,” Beane said after selecting Hairston 30th overall.

“Some guys run fast, like they run track fast, but they don’t play fast,” he added. “And you’re always looking to add speed as long as the football player matches it.”

Listed at 5-11 and 182 pounds, Hairston ran the fasted 40 of any player at the combine in being timed at 4.28 seconds.

Production-wise, he led the SEC as a sophomore in 2023 with five interceptions, including two returned for touchdowns. He had only one interception last year plus two forced fumbles in seven starts while missing five due to a shoulder injury.

Aside from speed, Hairston brings an infectious personality and joked about knowing what is expected from him in joining the quarterback Josh Allen-led five-time defending AFC East champions.

“I bring juice, I bring being a good teammate, I bring leadership,” said Hairston, who is from West Bloomfield, Michigan. “And I’m going to bring Josh Allen the ball back.”

Hairston joins a team with a hole at cornerback opposite returning starter Christian Benford.

Buffalo elected against re-signing starter Rasul Douglas last month, while also electing to move on from Kaiir Elam by trading the third-year player to Dallas last month. And Hairston became the first defensive player the Bills selected with their first pick in the draft since taking Elam at No. 23 in 2022.

Buffalo added veteran depth at the position with the free-agent additions of Tre’Davious White and Dane Jackson, who both rejoin the team after a one-year absence.

Though Hairston will have a shot to compete for a starting job, the veteran depth provides the Bills a level of insurance to ease in the rookie, who Beane said still needs to develop his tackling skills — something the team demands out of its cornerbacks.

“I think he is a willing tackler,” Beane said, noting Hairston has already started bulking up. “It’s not from a lack of effort. And he’s got the coverage skills, ball skills that you look for in a corner.”

On Thursday, Hairston was the fourth cornerback selected in the first round, including No. 2 pick Travis Hunter who also plays receiver.

By filling a position of need and with Buffalo having a first-round grade on Hairston, Beane said he elected to make the selection rather than trading back as he did twice in moving entirely out of the first round a year ago.

“We didn’t want to commit to that until we saw what was there on the board,” Beane said. “We had options to go back, but we had a good grade on Max. We’re excited that he was available.”

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