Penn State 2021 Recruiting Spotlight: Zakee Wheatley
Zakee Wheatley, an SI All-American candidate, announced his commitment to Penn State on April 10, which was the team's busiest recruiting day of the year.
Wheatley, a safety from Maryland, announced on the same day as twin brothers Kalen and Kobe King of Michigan. The trio highlighted Penn State's run of virtual commitments during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Wheatley is a four-star prospect, according to 247Sports, which also ranked him among the nation's top 20 safeties and the top 20 players in Maryland.
At Archbishop Spalding High in Severn, Md., Wheatley has developed a "legitimate case to play on either side of the ball in college," according to his SI All-American evaluation. Wheatley is 6-3, 180 pounds and has great potential at wide receiver. But his film shows a defensive player with ferocious tackling instinct.
What do SI All-American's evaluators think of Wheatley? Here's a glimpse at his evaluation.
Zakee Wheatley
Position: Safety
Vitals: 6-3, 180 pounds
Hometown: Severn, Md.
High School: Archbishop Spalding
Frame: Tall with broad shoulders and great length. Defined arms and wide chest with room to add considerable mass to the trunk and lower half.
Athleticism: Long strider with above-average down the field speed and range while working the secondary. Plus body control with ball tracking skill and finishing ability at the high point. Doesn’t lose momentum or add panic with the ball in the air.
Instincts: Comfortable after the catch with some vision and one-cut, make-em-miss ability. Thrives in tight quarters with leverage physicality despite high center of gravity. Finisher when working downhill. Comes off the hash with power, plus play-recognition and purpose.
Polish: Lines up at wide receiver, cornerback and safety on Friday nights with prospects at wideout and safety moving forward. Length, range and physicality lend towards defense but vertical ability and comfort catching the ball away from the body make an offensive case. Relatively raw from a technical standpoint at all positions.
Bottom Line: Wheatley has a legitimate case to play on either side of the ball in college but the element that pushes him towards defense for us is the physicality. Willing to strike as a light, high center of gravity part-time defensive back is encouraging when the strong length and ball skills combine. As he polishes up as a true safety, he should work his way onto the field as a rock-solid college contributor.
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