With the 2025 NFL Draft now behind us, it's safe to say the Indianapolis Colts managed to put together a solid group of incoming prospects on paper, plugging multiple team needs around the roster while capitalizing on value up and down the board.
Yet, through the Colts' frenzy of selections across all three days in Green Bay, there's one certain selection Indianapolis made later down the line that's drawn a few questions for the team's approach.
For CBS Sports' Josh Edwards, the Colts' pick drawing the most attention with a few questions attached comes with Minnesota cornerback Justin Walley, who he feels was seen more as a day three pick rather than an addition within the top 90.
"Walley is a smaller cornerback with good ball production. He was more of a mid-to-late fourth-round pick in our aggregate rankings and I was the highest on him," Edwards wrote. "The Colts were smart to continue investing in a position that has been a point of weakness requiring them to sign a top-dollar free agent."
Walley does come in with some solid value for the Colts. Not only will he provide another young player to grow in an Indianapolis secondary led by new defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, but in a unit that ranked 26th in yards allowed through the air in 2024, it's hard to hate the investment into a corner late in day two.
Where Walley raises eyebrows as a Colts selection comes within the value he presents with where he was selected. With less-than-ideal length and other technical traits to iron out as a pro, his fit and overall ceiling could end up being a bit limited within the Indianapolis defense.
However, sometimes for a front office, you just have to select the guy you're sold on, even if his stock may jump a bit higher than expected. For Walley, Indianapolis seemingly saw notable upside in his experience and fit to place him into the secondary unit, and had enough confidence to take a day two swing on him.
Now, he'll join a revitalized Colts secondary with the likes of Charvarius Ward and Cam Bynum. If all goes well in year one, he can find his way into an early rotational spot thanks to his extensive experience lining up at Minnesota, then slowly progress his way into an enhanced role as a playmaker in this secondary.
If Walley can meet the expectations there, it'd be hard to look back on this selection with the same questions arising now.
In the end, pre-draft evaluations are just that. You don't really know what you have until a player finally gets on the field, and the same applies here for the Colts. Only time will tell whether the questions surrounding Walley are within reason, but at the very least, he looks to be another solid acquisition to this secondary on paper.
