2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Minnesota CB Justin Walley

All my scouting notes on the strengths, concerns, usage/role, skill set summary, NFL comparison and grade/projection for Minnesota CB Justin Walley

Minnesota CB Justin Walley

Height: 5-10
Weight 190
Arm Length: 30 3/4
Hand Size: 10
Birthdate: 9/22/02 (will turn 23 during rookie year)
Games Watched: Penn State, Maryland, UNC, parts of others

Scouting Notes

Book-smart cornerback, who plays with wonderful football IQ and anticipation in all coverage schemes. Walley communicates constantly and plays with the right demeanor. He’s urgent, but under control in his zone movements. Plays on the balls of his feet and has the uncanny ability to see/feel receiver and see/feel quarterback’s eyes too. Deters a lot of throws due to his positioning. Closes on underneath routes quickly and has some of the best interceptions in the class. Walley reads the 3-step game as well as anyone and would have probably had even more than seven career interceptions if a few more passes were anywhere close to the target.

Just wonder if the traits are there. He’s small and working around those limitations can be a challenge despite his best efforts. Often pressed bigger receivers, but won’t win every rep with the ball in the air in contested situations. But Walley is frequently there to contest the catch, which speaks to his reactions and ball skills. Often he’ll play the pocket on the way down, rather than turning and trying to play the ball in the air. He forced two incompletions against Maryland this way. You can certainly throw around him in coverage, and big wingspan guys will make that work, but Walley’s positioning and competitiveness will at least make quarterbacks think twice.