The 2024 Indianapolis Colts pass defense was one of the worst in the league. Gus Bradley’s secondary was 26th in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game (229.4), 21st in yards per completion allowed (10.3) and 30th in completion percentage allowed (69.4%).
General manager Chris Ballard addressed the issue accordingly. He made a change of defensive coordinator bringing in Lou Anarumo, signed two big name veterans— safety Cam Bynum and cornerback Charvarius Ward— and made a sneaky good move in the draft by taking cornerback Justin Walley out of Minnesota in the third round.
So far in training camp, Walley is not just living up to his price tag, but exceeding it. Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski thinks Walley will be one of 10 non-first round rookies to make an instant impact.
Sobleski called the Colts selection of Walley on Day 2 a “surprise” due to the Minnesota product being widely regarded as a Day 3 talent. But Ballard knew what he was doing with the pick.
“The Colts drafted Walley with this year's 80th overall pick to compete with the other young corners already on the roster,” he writes “The rookie continues to impress with his natural and fluid coverage skills…It will come as no surprise if Ward and Walley are the Colts' Week 1 starters at outside corner.”
Walley currently holds that starting job opposite Ward, according to the Colts’ unofficial depth chart.
His competitors, JuJu Brents and Jaylon Jones, are both currently sidelined with hamstring injuries. With Indy’s preseason opener coming up later this week, all the pieces are in place for Walley to cement himself in as the Week 1 starter before Jones and Brents can make their own cases.