Kentucky's NFL alumni had a week that ran the full emotional spectrum — from a young corner locking down a starting job to a veteran reclaiming his career after profound personal loss, and a former first-round pick hitting the pavement before the regular season even begins.
Maxwell Hairston Is Buffalo's CB2 — Full Stop
The Bills didn't need preseason games to make up their minds about Maxwell Hairston. Head coach Joe Brady confirmed the rookie cornerback is a starter, and Buffalo backed it up by keeping him on the field against Pittsburgh even while resting most of the first-team offense. Brady's public declaration as CB2 is a remarkable landing spot for a first-year player, and it signals that the Bills view the Kentucky product as a legitimate piece of their defensive backfield — not a depth option waiting his turn. For a program that has quietly produced secondary talent, Hairston's ascent is a statement.
Za'Darius Smith's Comeback Carries Real Weight
The story behind Za'Darius Smith's return to the NFL is not about football. Smith retired after just five games with the Eagles last season when he learned his mother was terminally ill. He stepped away to be with her in her final days — a decision that, by his own account, caught Philadelphia off guard and drew some scrutiny. Now signed with the Falcons, Smith addressed the situation publicly in his first press conference since coming out of retirement, laying out the full picture.
The Falcons are getting a motivated, experienced pass rusher who has something to prove on multiple fronts. Whether Smith can recapture his form as a disruptive edge presence remains the football question. But the context around his return makes this one of the more humanizing stories of the preseason.
Jamin Davis Cut Loose in Steelers' Final Moves
Jamin Davis, once the 19th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft by Washington, won't be playing in Pittsburgh this season. The Steelers released the linebacker as part of their final roster cuts. Davis had bounced from Washington to the Steelers in search of a second act, but the opportunity didn't materialize. At 26, his NFL career isn't necessarily over — a player with his draft pedigree will draw interest — but clearing waivers and landing somewhere meaningful is far from guaranteed.
Around the Commonwealth
Elsewhere in the weekly Kentucky alumni log: Bills running back Ray Davis provided an inadvertent comic moment during the preseason game against Pittsburgh, muffing a punt return in what announcers called a textbook jinx situation. No harm done in a preseason context, but Davis will want cleaner work as the regular season approaches.
Will Levis saw meaningful second-half action for the Titans in their preseason win over Seattle, playing alongside Cam Ward and Mitchell Trubisky in a three-quarterback audition. His standing on the depth chart remains fluid as Tennessee evaluates its options at the position.
And in Jacksonville, coach Liam Coen addressed how the Jaguars plan to deploy their backfield — a conversation that includes Kentucky's Chris Rodriguez Jr., who figures into a committee approach rather than a featured role.
The Wildcats' NFL footprint is wide. This week proved it cuts in every direction.
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