Colts' Sophomore Cornerback Has Massive Shoes to Fill

The Indianapolis Colts will have a new starting slot cornerback for the first time in the Chris Ballard era (since 2017) following yesterday's release of cornerback Kenny Moore II.

The defensive backfield has seen many ups and downs over the years under Ballard; however, one constant has remained for nearly a decade, and that's been Moore II leading the charge. Starting in 111 games since 2017, Moore II's consistency as one of the league's best slot cornerbacks year in and year out will be a massive task to replace.

Second-year cornerback Justin Walley is projected to fill said void. A 2025 third-round pick (80th overall), Walley is coming off a major injury (torn ACL) and has no professional experience to show for, but the Colts are confident in his trajectory after seeing what he can do during offseason workouts and training camp.

Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo has earned a reputation as a coach who struggles to play young, inexperienced players, but even he was ready to utilize Walley as a rookie after seeing what he's capable of during the summer.

“Well, possibly. I think that he's got those physical traits to do it. I just was talking before, I was so disappointed for him, for us as well. I had watched him in that Baltimore practice. It was a team pass period. He was matched up on (Rashod) Bateman for them, a good veteran receiver. I think Lamar (Jackson) saw he was one-on-one. Kind of gave him a signal, ran a double move, an out-and-up on him. And most rookies, their eyes would have been in the backfield. ‘I'm lined up there. There's Lamar Jackson.’ They would have been beat by five yards. (Justin) Walley matched the route, came out of the double move, ran down the field and punched the ball out. Three plays letter, he tears his ACL," DC Lou Anarumo recalled Walley's impressive introduction to the league.

After I saw the play, I was like, ‘Okay, we got one.’ Like, that's not normal for a rookie. That's a veteran play that he just made and then again, three plays later, the poor kid tears his ACL. So, I think the sky's the limit for him. I'm not trying to – I think he's got to come back and kind of knock the rust off. But I think yes, he can play to answer your question, both inside and outside. His body type says that, the way he moves says that, and his football IQ says that," Anarumo continued as he answered whether he believes Walley is suited for nickel cornerback.

Justin Walley had a fantastic showing during training camp last season, and was destined for a big role as a rookie because of it. That outlook solidified even with Kenny Moore II in the mix, and provided Walley an avenue via a rotational role at cornerback.

Fellow 2025 draftee, safety Hunter Wohler, too was set to play a role in Lou Anarumo's defense as a rookie before suffering a season-ending injury (Lisfranc) of his own. General manager Chris Ballard reiterated how high he is on both second-year defensive backs during his pre-draft press conference.

"If they (Walley and Wohler) do not get hurt, they play major roles last year. Unequivocally."

This, of course, was before Sauce Gardner was traded for, so there was more of an opening going into the 2025-26 season at outside cornerback than there was in the slot due to Moore II's presence.

Now, with Moore II out of the picture entirely, something that's felt inevitable since he joined the trade block, it's Justin Walley's time to shine.

Walley started in 42 of 49 possible games during his four-year career at Minnesota, totaling 34 passes defended and seven interceptions during that stretch. He's a fearless ballhawk whose instincts put him in the right position more often than not.

The 5'10", 190-pound sophomore corner will have his hands full as he attempts to fill the void that Kenny Moore II is leaving, but the Colts are confident in what he's capable of.

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