Penn State Football 2025 Preview: Safeties to Play Key Role in Jim Knowles' Defense

Penn State has a top-heavy room at safety with potential star Zakee Wheatley leading the way. While Dejuan Lane and King Mack compete for the strong safety position, the rest of the group is battling for playing time in 2025.

Penn State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles often has leaned on safeties in his 4-2-5 defense, and the Nittany Lions are familiar with occasional three-safety formations. Knowles has challenged and energized Penn State's safeties room.

"He brings a totally different aspect to the defense," Wheatley said. "Different parts, different movements, and I’m excited to see how it all comes together."

But position coach Anthony Pointdexter’s room lacks experience outside of the top three. Still, combined with their outstanding cornerbacks, the Nittany Lions could field one of the best secondaries of head coach James Franklin’s tenure.

We continue our Penn State position breakdown with a look at the safeties.

Zakee Wheatley

Wheatley enters his fifth season at Penn State as the centerpiece at safety. The Maryland native is a true ballhawk and an excellent tackler, which led Pro Football Focus to grade him among the Big Ten’s top-five safeties. Franklin called Wheatley "high production and low maintenance," two traits coaches love.

Wheatley excelled in 2024, totaling 96 tackles, three interceptions, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble. But he truly was recognized nationally in the College Football Playoff, where Wheatley recorded three tackles, one interception and one fumble recovery en route to earning the defensive MVP award at the Fiesta Bowl.

“I’m trying to work on everything,” Wheatley said. “Speed, tackling, [football] IQ, any way I can just get better and make more plays in the football season, that’s what I’m trying to do.

Despite the personal success, Wheatley and his room have one goal for 2025.

“It’s pretty simple. Everyone who’s sitting here [has] the same goal,” Wheatley said. “We wanted to come to Penn State to win big games and win the national championship.”

Dejuan Lane

The sophomore returned to a true competition with King Mack for the starting strong safety position in training camp. While there may be a “winner,” whoever earns the Week 1 start will have to work to hold it.

Lane was the only defensive player to burn his redshirt in 2024. The Maryland native appeared in all 16 games, recording 14 tackles, three pass breakups and an interception. Lane (6-2, 212 pounds) is one of the bigger safeties in Penn State’s room but also is fast and has elite recovery speed.

King Mack

Mack transferred back to Penn State from Alabama in January, mentioning during local media day that "the grass isn’t always greener." "I think he's happy being back," Franklin said.

The junior spent 2023 with the Nittany Lions, playing in 13 games, before transferring to the Crimson Tide in 2024 to play a limited role in 13 games. While Mack is in a duel with Lane for the strong safety spot, he adds much-needed depth to the room. Mack was the No. 6 safety in the 2023 recruiting class, per the 247Sports Composite, and looks to finally put it all together during his junior season.

Antoine Belgrave-Shorter

Knowles recently noted that Belgrave-Shorter is having a strong camp and will earn playing time. Belgrave-Shorter is a former cornerback who made the switch to safety after Kevin Winston Jr. was injured early in 2024. The redshirt freshman appeared in seven games last year, including all three playoff games, totaling six tackles. Belgrave-Shorter also saw time on special teams for coordinator Justin Lustig.

The Mandarin (Fla.) High School alum was a 3-star prospect in the 2024 recruiting class, according to the 247Sports Composite. Belgrade-Shorter was the No. 61 cornerback nationally and the No. 96 player in Florida.

Vaboue Toure

Franklin said during local media day that Toure is part of the strong safety competition with Lane and Mack. The redshirt freshman played in five games in 2024, making six tackles and one pass breakup.

Toure was a 4-star recruit in the 2024 class, rated as the No. 37 safety in the country and sixth-best player in New Jersey.

Kolin Dinkins

Dinkins walked on to Penn State’s roster in 2022 and was named the Outstanding Run-On for defense in 2023. Dinkins has seen meaningful playing time on special teams throughout his tenure at Penn State. The Pittsburgh-area native had a solid redshirt freshman season, totaling seven tackles.

Dinkins will be a key contributor for Lustig and could find himself at safety if the Nittany Lions deal with injury problems. His older brother Khalil is poised for a breakthrough season at tight end for Penn State.