After a senior season riddled with injuries, nobody expected Justin Walley to hear his name entitled at the start of the NFL 2025 draft. However, after the Indianapolis colts raised the eyebrows by taking him to the third round, Walley impressed during the minicamp recruit of the team in 2025 and in ota.
Walley entered the project after spending its four college years in Minnesota. He won the recognition of his peers as a senior, landing on the All-Big 10 second team before Will Johnson, Nikko Reed, Denzel Burke and others.
As the third round, Walley entered the OTA of the colts in 2025 with reasonably high expectations. But with the offseason of the colts centered on their quarter battle between Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones, few fans took note of Walley on the other side. However, the daily excellence of Walley has not gone unnoticed by coaches.
After having authorized the seventh number of yards by the pass and the third percentage of the highest completion in 2024, the cornerback was certainly a position of need for the colts during the offseason. Leaving the offseason without approaching the position was not an option. In this sense, Walley was one of the biggest games of the draft team. Tyler Warren was the choice of the first round of the team, but Walley could be recruited with the highest expectations.
Until now, Walley has been announced at the start of the colts off -season in 2025. The 22 -year -old impressed the team of the team and has since taken the ota. After the confusing season he had in 2024, Indianapolis was in a particular position entering the summer months. Anyway, Walley takes advantage of its opportunities as much as possible and looks like potential flight at first.
Shane Steichen chose Justin Walley at 2025 ota
Shane Steichen is asked about his quarter situation each time he stands in front of the journalists. Richardson undergoing an arm injury, the questions were only progressing. However, during one of the rare moments when he was asked about the defense of the colts, Steichen enlished at the opportunity to speak of Walley.
Steichen replaced the former defensive coordinator Gus Bradley with Lou Anarumo during the offseason, forcing his team to undergo another transition. In any case, Steichen was satisfied with the progression of the team, even at the start of the offseason.
Steichen said the unit looked “good” Before distinguishing the Doré as a recent star when he questioned his defense after the session of the OTAs of the Colts on Thursday.
“Walley has done a hell of a job,” said Steichen. “It is a good object of Chris in the draft. He does a lot of games there.”
Given the organization’s uncertainty under the center, it can be easy for half a corner to stand out from a lost offense. However, Walley would have held up against the best Wideouts Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs and Alec Pierce on unique cover.
Since the hiring of Anarumo, the colts have made several defensive signatures in free agency. Indianapolis notably added the former Ward All-Pro Charvarius and the veteran security Camryn bynum. The two also recognized Walley’s immediate impact.
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With Ward, Juju Brent, Samuel Womack III, Kenny Moore II and David Long Jr. On the list, the corner room of the colts is full of promises. Given the veteran names in front of him, it would not be surprising to see Walley spend his recruited season buried on the table of the depths. However, he is one of the few defensive players that Steichen distinguished the OTAs, giving him a very promising start.
The colts loved Justin Walley from the start
Even after adding the secondary depth they made in a free agency, the colts aggressively targeted the gold in the project. In his Professional Minnesota Day performances, Walley particularly attracted the eyes of the director general Chris Ballard.
Walley’s band was impressive, but it regressed statistically in his last year in Minnesota. However, that did not prevent Ballard from jumping from his seat to take him with his last third day choice. Ballard praise On Walley in his two post-day inscribers, praising the work ethics of his new corner half.
“It is good,” said Ballard about Walley. “Let me tell you this. He broke his wrist. At a time when people do not want to train – we have guys who do it – he does everything with a broken wrist. He runs a 4.37 [40-yard dash] With a casting on his wrist. He does each exercise, and he appears on a band; He was a starter of 40 games in the Big 10. ”
#Cols GM Chris Ballard on CB Justin Walley:
“He is good.
🎥: @Cols pic.twitter.com/k4wxoxbj3w
– Noah Compton (@nerlens_) April 26, 2025
Ballard distinguished Walley’s contributions to the upset victory of Minnesota at the time. USC classified 11. Walley recorded four shortcomings in this match, including three on the final disc of the Trojans. Ballard said his performance in this match was what sealed the agreement.
Walley’s printing on Ballard led Indianapolis to pass it on the prospects of notable corner nohl Williams, Quincy Riley and Caleb Ransaw, among others. The available swimming pool was part of the reason why many grata its head hearing the name of Walley so early in the process. But if the ota of the 2025 colts are an indication, they have chosen the right recruit.
