INDIANAPOLIS — The first real surprise of the 2025 Colts draft came in the third round.

Indianapolis ticked off needs with its first two picks, snapping up a tight end in Penn State’s Tyler Warren and a defensive end in Ohio State’s J.T. Tuimoloau, two players projected to fit the round they were drafted.

Minnesota cornerback Justin Walley is a surprise, both in terms of where he was projected and the positional need. Indianapolis heads into the third day of the draft with bigger positional needs.

Colts draft grade: Minnesota CB Justin Walley

Grade: C-

NFL DRAFT HUB: Live NFL Draft news, live picks, grades, analysis and more.

Why: Indianapolis signed two cornerbacks in free agency, picking up Charvarius Ward to be the team’s No. 1 cornerback and signing Corey Ballentine for depth, seemingly relegating cornerback to a lesser need compared to pressing spots like guard and linebacker,

Walley, who was projected as a late-round also does not fit the typical Ballard profile for cornerbacks. A shorter corner at 5-10, Walley seems like a slot, but he played mostly on the outside at Minnesota; Ballard has historically liked longer cornerbacks.

The Minnesota cornerback might reflect the team’s shift at defensive coordinator. Former coordinator Gus Bradley liked tall, lengthy cornerbacks; Walley is a shorter player at 5-10. A starter for 42 of 47 games, Walley has modeled his game after long-time Colts cornerback Kenny Moore II, but Moore has been at his best in the slot. Indianapolis may like Walley as a versatile player who can develop into a nickel behind Moore for the next two seasons, but the Minnesota product acknowledge that he wasn’t sure if he’d get drafted on the second day at all, making the Walley pick a bit of a shock.

Get IndyStar’s Colts coverage sent directly to your inbox with the Colts Insider newsletter.