| Minnesota Golden Gophers – No. 5 | |
|---|---|
| Position | Cornerback |
| Class | Senior |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | (2002-09-22) September 22, 2002 (age 22) |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
| Weight | 190 lb (86 kg) |
| Career history | |
| College |
|
| High school | D'Iberville (D'Iberville, Mississippi) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Justin Walley (born September 22, 2002) is an American football cornerback for the Minnesota Golden Gophers.
Early life and high school
Walley attended D'Iberville High School in D'Iberville, Mississippi. As a junior, he notched 74 tackles, seven pass deflections, and an interception, while also hauling in 230 receiving yards. Coming out of high school, Walley was rated as a three-star recruit and committed to playing college football for the Minnesota Golden Gophers over offers from schools such as Baylor, Colorado, Minnesota, Mississippi State, and Ole Miss.
College career
In the 2021 regular season finale, Walley recorded an interception in a win over rival Wisconsin. He finished the season with 29 tackles, seven pass deflections, an interception, a forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, and a touchdown. In 2022, Walley recorded 39 tackles, two pass deflections, three interceptions, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble. In the 2023 season opener, he forced a fumble with less than five minutes left which helped Minnesota come back and beat Nebraska. During the 2023 season, Walley tallied 45 tackles, eight pass deflections, an interception, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble.
Personal life
Walley is the cousin of former NFL cornerback, Dee McCann. His older brother Jaden is a wide receiver for the Mississippi State Bulldogs.
References
- ^ "Justin Walley Cornerback Minnesota". nfldraftbuzz.com. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
- Gabler, Nate (July 30, 2020). "Ole Miss in Top-4 For SI All-American Candidate Justin Walley". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
- Greder, Andy (August 23, 2020). "Gophers pick up three-star cornerback prospect from Mississippi". Pioneer Press. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
- Johnson, Randy. "Gophers freshman cornerback Justin Walley is up for any challenge". Star Tribune. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
- Greder, Andy (December 22, 2021). "Back home in Mississippi, Gophers freshman cornerback Justin Walley is the one who got away". Pioneer Press. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
- "Justin Walley 2022 Game Logs". Sports Reference. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
- Neal III, Le Velle. "Saluting Justin Walley and his punch that saved the Gophers". Star Tribune. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
- Johnson, Randy. "Gophers cornerback Justin Walley says he'll return for 2024 season". Star Tribune. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
- "Justin Walley". Minnesota Golden Gophers. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
- Milligan, Rashad (July 24, 2020). "Dandy Dozen: Justin Walley ready for challenge to lead like his brother at D'Iberville". The Clarion-Ledger. Retrieved April 22, 2024.