NFL Combine: Justin Walley calls Gophers' Daniel Jackson one of the best WR he has ever faced

Cornerback Justin Walley was a rare four-year contributor at Minnesota, and he got rewarded with an invitation to this year's NFL Scouting Combine. He is one of six former Gophers position players at the event, and he highlighted his development in the program during his media availability on Thursday.

Aireontae Ersery, Cody Lindenberg, Jah Joyner and Daniel Jackson were all part of Minnesota's 2020 recruiting class, but Walley was in the 2021 class. None of them were four-star recruits, but they're now on their way to the NFL.

"We all started out as not that good of players, I know I wasn't a big recruit. I'm pretty sure Cody (Lindenberg) wasn't and we all developed into some pretty good players," Walley said. "It just shows the culture we have and the dedication we have at the University of Minnesota."

As it pertains to Walley, there seem to be some questions about whether he's an outside cornerback or a nickel at the next level. He did the majority of his work on the outside with Minnesota, but at 5-foot-11, 190 pounds, he could project as a nickel in the NFL.

"Trent McDuffie, he's a guy that's very versatile. He plays inside and outside, very good in man coverage and very good in zone coverage," Walley said when asked who he likes to watch at the next level. "Another guy is Kenny Moore II. He plays with the Colts. He's a smaller guy, but he plays a lot bigger than he is. He plays in the box a lot, but he's more of a nickel that really shines and I look up to."

After a standout true freshman season in 2021, Walley could've had a lot of opportunities to transfer elsewhere or even closer to home in Mississippi. He didn't, and he opted to play all four seasons at Minnesota. His loyalty really shined through in his media availability when he called Jackson the best wide receiver that he has ever faced.

"One of the most impressive receivers that I've ever faced is Daniel Jackson, he's on my team. I went against him all four years of my career. To this day, I really think he's one of the best receivers that I have ever faced," Walley said. "He can do anything, he can run any route, he has great hands and he's just an all-around great player."

Walley faced players like Marvin Harrison Jr., Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson, so calling Jackson one of the most impressive wide receivers that he's ever faced is pretty high praise.

Walley conducted his press conference with what looked like a cast on his right arm, so it's unlikely we'll see him compete in on-field drills on Friday. He will likely look ahead to Minnesota's Pro Day next month for athletic testing.

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