NFL Draft: Buffalo or Kentucky Bills?
The NFL Draft is the biggest non-football day of the year for football fans. Hundreds of thousands of people will descend upon Green Bay for what is essentially an NFL convention. It's a celebration of the sport where the picks often feel like an afterthought, especially by day three. But for the players, it's a life-changing experience. For Kentucky football fans, it hasn't always been must-watch TV until Mark Stoops arrived.
Thanks to Stoops' 11-year run in Lexington, the Kentucky Wildcats have become regular features in the NFL Draft. This year, the Buffalo Bills continued the trend by adding two more Wildcats to their roster, with more to maybe come.
Maxwell Hairston Goes in the First Round
The first major headline for Kentucky came Thursday night when the Buffalo Bills selected cornerback Maxwell Hairston in the first round. Hairston impressed scouts throughout the pre-draft process, showcasing the physical tools and football IQ needed to excel at the next level. His selection marked another high-profile moment for Kentucky's program under Stoops, affirming the Wildcats' growing reputation as a pipeline for NFL talent.
Deone Walker Joins the Bills on Day Three
The Bills weren't done tapping into Lexington's talent pool. On Saturday, they used the 109th overall pick in the fourth round to select defensive tackle Deone Walker. At 6-foot-7 and 344 pounds, Walker is one of the most physically imposing players in the 2024 class. He started 36 of 37 career games at Kentucky, piling up 132 tackles, 22 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, and six pass breakups.
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Even though his production dipped slightly compared to his standout sophomore season, Walker's dominance in the trenches still earned him second-team All-SEC honors in 2024. His combination of size, strength, and athleticism gives the Bills a powerful new weapon on the defensive line.
Current Buffalo Bills RB and former Kentucky Wildcat Ray Davis also chimed in on social media, embracing his Wildcat brothers with open arms. Davis himself was a fourth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and looks to take on a larger role with the Bills this upcoming season as the potential RB1.
A Growing Kentucky Legacy in Buffalo
Walker and Hairston will reunite with another former Wildcat, running back Ray Davis, who was selected by the Bills in last year's draft. As Buffalo chases an AFC title, Kentucky's fingerprints will be all over their roster, a testament to the program's steady rise under Mark Stoops.
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