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A versatile cornerback option for the Steelers.

Approaching the 2025 NFL Draft, we’ll be scouting as many of the top prospects that the Pittsburgh Steelers could have their eye on anywhere from Rounds 1 through 7. We’ll break down the prospects themselves, strengths and weaknesses, projected draft capital and their fit with the Steelers.

Could Justin Walley be the Steelers’ answer at slot cornerback for 2025?

The basics on Justin Walley

• Position: Cornerback
• Class: Senior
• Size: 5’10, 190 pounds
• Age: 22
• Projected draft round: 5

Stats via Sports Reference

Justin Walley scouting report

Walley plays with an infectious energy — it’s easy to see why he’s a favorite draft sleeper for many.

The first thing that pops off the screen about the 5’10, 190-pound corner is not his speed or coverage but rather his willingness (aggression, more accurately) as a tackler. The moment the ball-carrier is past the line of scrimmage, Walley consistently rockets downhill. He’s an asset as a tackler (No. 5 in all clips).

He also had some success as a blitzer out of the slot. Walley has just one career sack, but he can disrupt plays with his burst off of the line. He even gets by Omarion Hampton’s block in the clip below:

If there’s one downside of Walley’s urgent run support, it’s that he’s uncontrolled as a tackler. He’s always at full speed, looking for the big hit, and that leads to a lack of breakdowns and wrap-up tackles on tape. Sometimes, he’ll miss completely.

Walley ran an impressive 4.4-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, and it shows in his coverage. He has the speed to carry routes downfield:

He also breaks on the ball with impressive quickness. Walley has seven interceptions and 27 passes defensed over his career. He has a nose for the football and great burst when the play is in front of him.

Walley is a treat to watch in zone, and he’s impressively sticky in man coverage, but while he’s plenty quick, he’s not the smoothest defensive back you’ll see. His transitions come with little wobbles in balance, which can hurt him when he gets turned around in coverage.

His physical style of play also comes with issues — he gets pretty grabby in coverage, which can lead to penalties.

The other main drawback in his game is length. Walley isn’t horribly undersized, but larger receivers can box him out, and he can’t get his arms to the football.

Walley is a fun prospect with NFL-caliber athleticism, but there are enough little issues with his game to prevent him from being a surefire Day 2 pick. Whether or not he can hold up on the outside in the pros is a valid question, but I see a bright future for him as a starter in the slot, where his jitterbug style of play and attitude in run support make him a great fit.

Strengths

• Inside/outside versatility from time in college
• NFL-caliber speed and quickness
• Good ball production throughout college career
• Feisty and willing in run support
• Fiercely breaks on routes

Weaknesses

• Quick but not the smoothest transitions
• Launching tackler; lack of wrap-ups leads to whiffs
• Size might push him to the slot in the NFL
• Gets grabby in coverage

What others are saying about Justin Walley

Lance Zierlein of NFL.com

Highly experienced cornerback with good size, speed and ball production. Walley has good mirror-and-match footwork in the early stages of the route but needs to trust his technique instead of using his hands in coverage so often. He keeps close tabs on quarterbacks and pounces on short throws with authority. He’s irritating at the catch point but can be bodied by big targets. He’s willing in run support but will need to improve his finishing against bigger runners. Walley played an overwhelming majority of his snaps outside, but he could be destined to slide inside due to a lack of length.

Cory Giddings of Bleacher Report

Justin Walley is a developmental cornerback who can provide immediate value as a backup and potential rotational player in nickel and dime packages. His ability to excel in short-area coverage, paired with his aggressive run support, makes him a candidate for teams that value competitive secondary players with versatility. While his lack of top-end speed and inconsistent tackling may limit his role early in his career, Walley’s instincts and technique provide a strong foundation for growth. … PRO COMPARISON: Taron Johnson.

Kyle Crabbs of The 33rd Team

Walley projects as a developmental cornerback at the NFL level. He has sufficient length and good initial burst and acceleration, but his stature will likely relegate him to a role inside as a nickel player rather than leaving his aggressive play outside and isolated on the perimeter.

Justin Walley’s fit with the Steelers

Neither Beanie Bishop Jr. nor Brandin Echols is great enough to warrant completely crossing slot cornerback off of the Steelers’ draft board, but would a Day 3 pick like Walley move the needle much in that competition? I don’t think Walley is drastically better than either, but there’s a chance he’ll be one of the best players on the board at one of the Steelers’ Day 3 picks. Plus, his inside/outside versatility (Walley saw some slot snaps with Minnesota) would make him a great depth addition.

The Steelers met with Walley for a top-30 visit. Given that his size doesn’t fit their current mold at boundary cornerback, I’m willing to bet Pittsburgh sees him as a nickel. And with his aggression near the line of scrimmage, Walley might be able to give Steelers fans the type of solid, physical slot play the team hasn’t had since Mike Hilton.

TL;DR: Walley is a slightly undersized, speedy cornerback prospect who projects best in the slot at the NFL level. He’s a quick defender with great ball skills and a human torpedo against the run. However, he lacks some length and fluidity, which limits his coverage ceiling.

What are your thoughts on Minnesota cornerback Justin Walley? And which draft prospects would you like to see profiled next? Let us know in the comments below!