ClutchPoints
Coming off an injury-riddled senior season, nobody expected Justin Walley to hear his name called early in the 2025 NFL Draft. However, after the Indianapolis Colts raised eyebrows by taking him in the third round, Walley has impressed during the team’s 2025 rookie minicamp and in OTAs.
Walley entered the draft after spending all four of his collegiate years at Minnesota. He earned the recognition of his peers as a senior, landing on the All-Big 10 second team ahead of Will Johnson, Nikko Reed, Denzel Burke and others.
As a third-rounder, Walley entered the Colts’ 2025 OTAs with reasonably high expectations. But with the Colts’ offseason centered around their quarterback battle between Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones, few fans took note of Walley on the other side. Yet, Walley’s daily excellence has not gone unnoticed by the coaching staff.
After allowing the seventh-most passing yards and the third-highest completion percentage in 2024, cornerback was certainly a position of need for the Colts in the offseason. Leaving the offseason without addressing the position was not an option. In that sense, Walley was one of the team’s biggest gambles of the draft. Tyler Warren was the team’s first-round pick, but Walley might be the rookie with the highest expectations.
So far, Walley has been as advertised early in the Colts’ 2025 offseason. The 22-year-old impressed at the team’s rookie minicamp and has since carried the momentum into OTAs. After the puzzling season it had in 2024, Indianapolis is in a peculiar position entering the summer months. Regardless, Walley is making the most of his opportunities and looking like a potential steal early on.
Shane Steichen is asked about his quarterback situation every time he stands in front of reporters. With Richardson suffering an arm injury, the questions have only ramped up. Yet, during one of the few moments he was asked about the Colts’ defense, Steichen lit up at the opportunity to talk about Walley.
Steichen replaced former defensive coordinator Gus Bradley with Lou Anarumo in the offseason, forcing his team to endure another transition. Regardless, Steichen has been happy with the team’s progression, even early in the offseason.
Steichen said the unit looked “good” before singling out Walley as a recent standout when asked about his defense after the Colts’ OTAs session on Thursday.
“Walley’s been doing a hell of a job,” Steichen said. “That’s a good get by Chris in the draft. He’s making a lot of plays out there.”
Given the organization’s uncertainty under center, it can be easy for a cornerback to stand out against a lost offense. However, Walley has reportedly held his own against top wideouts Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs and Alec Pierce in single coverage.
Since hiring Anarumo, the Colts have made several defensive signings in free agency. Indianapolis most notably added former All-Pro Charvarius Ward and veteran safety Camryn Bynum. Both have also recognized Walley’s immediate impact.
With Ward, JuJu Brents, Samuel Womack...
