Bills general manager Brandon Beane has just one unsigned draft pick after contracts were completed Friday for cornerback Maxwell Hairston and defensive tackle Deone Walker.
The Buffalo Bills used the 30th pick of the first round on cornerback Maxwell Hairston, who agreed to terms on his four-year, $15.2 million rookie deal with the team Friday.
Hairston was selected by the Bills with the 30th pick of the first round in April, and Walker fell to the fourth round because of a back injury that limited his impact last season at the University of Kentucky. T.J. Sanders, the Bills鈥 second-round pick, is their only unsigned rookie.
Hairston鈥檚 contract will be for four years and $15.2 million, according to NFL Network. As with all first-round picks, the Bills will have an option to pick up a fifth year on Hairston when the time comes.
Walker鈥檚 deal will be for four years and $5.25 million, according to Spotrac.
Hairston was an all-Southeastern Conference second-team selection in 2024 after he totaled 19 tackles, two forced fumbles, a sack, one interception and four pass breakups in seven games. He missed five games because of an injury. The Kentucky standout started all 13 games in 2023 and led the SEC with five interceptions, returning two for touchdowns.
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The Bills drafted Hairston to compete for the starting cornerback spot opposite Christian Benford, and he missed the final practice of mandatory minicamp this week with a tweaked hamstring. Beane told reporters that Hairston is expected to be ready for the start of training camp next month.
Walker finished his 2023 season as a potential first-round draft pick. The 6-foot-7, 331-pound defensive tackle was named first-team all-SEC after he totaled 12陆 tackles for a loss, including 7陆 sacks, and eight quarterback hurries. His 2024 season was challenging, however, as Walker played through an injury that medical tests later revealed as a stress fracture in his back. A two-time team captain for the Wildcats, Walker was still a second-team all-SEC selection with five tackles for a loss in 11 games, but he wasn鈥檛 as disruptive as the previous season.
The Bills limited Walker鈥檚 workload this spring while he moved further away from the injury. His coach, Sean McDermott, told reporters Tuesday that Walker was cleared by the medical staff to move from four reps per team period to five.
Jaguars wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter, Broncos cornerback Jahdae Barron and Bengals edge rusher Shemar Stewart are the only 2025 first-round picks who have yet to sign their rookie contracts. Sanders, a defensive tackle chosen by the Bills out of South Carolina, is one of 30 second-round draft picks still waiting to sign.
