What Penn State's Zakee Wheatley Brings to the Carolina Panthers

Penn State safety Zakee Wheatley was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. He is the fifth Nittany Lion selected in the draft and fourth Penn State safety picked since 2023. Wheatley also is the second safety drafted from Penn State’s 2021 recruiting class, joining 2025 Houston Texans pick Jaylen Reed.

Who are the Panthers getting in Wheatley? A smart defensive player who is at his best when he works as the last line of defense. Here’s what else you need to know about Penn State’s Zakee Wheatley.

Who is Zakee Wheatley?

Penn State defensive back Zakee Wheatley speaks to members of the media during the NFL Scouting Combine. — Penn State defensive back Zakee Wheatley speaks to members of the media during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. | Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

Zakee Wheatley grew up in Crofton, Maryland, and was a three-year letterman at Archbishop Spalding High School. His senior season was limited to just two games because of the pandemic, but as a junior he recorded five interceptions, seven pass breakups and 30 tackles.

Wheatley was a 4-star prospect in Penn State’s 2021 class, according to the 247Sports Composite, and a top-15 player in Maryland. Wheatley redshirted during his true freshman season in 2022 after appearing in four games but gradually role because he usually positioned himself around the football. Wheatley then became a durable two-year starter in 2024-25.

He leaves Penn State with 11 takeaways spanning six interceptions, two forced fumbles and three recoveries. One of Wheatley’s most dominant performances came at the 2025 Orange Bowl, where he posted 16 tackles, becoming only the fifth Nittany Lion to record 15+ tackles in a bowl or playoff game.

After the 2025 season, in which he started in every game, Wheatley was voted All-Big Ten honorable mention by both coaches and media.

What traits does Wheatley bring to the NFL?

A 13-yard rushing TD from QB Will Howard comes back after review — Penn State safety Zakee Wheatley poked the ball out of Howard's grasp just before he reached the goal line.

The fumble went through the end zone, resulting in a touchback.

Penn State ball at its 20-yard line. pic.twitter.com/XaiMT74kAz
— Andy Backstrom (@andybackstrom) November 2, 2024

At 6-3, 203 pounds, Wheatley is able to move through the field quickly and with great speed. Penn State played a nickel defense last season, and the safety was used in various looks across man and zone coverages.

In 2025, Wheatley appeared more decisive in his coverage and led the team in tackles in back-to-back games against Northwestern and Iowa. Penn State also deployed him in the box more in run situations following linebacker Tony Rojas’ season-ending injury.

When it comes to deep coverage, Wheatley has the speed to get downfield but is just as sound when it comes to quicker plays closer to the line of scrimmage. Wheatley possesses a solid combination of ball skills, pass-game awareness and willingness to play run support.

What the Panthers must address with Wheatley

Penn State defensive back Zakee Wheatley runs a drill during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

There is a lot to like about Wheatley’s game, but he’ll need to develop more consistency in the NFL. Scouting reports grade Wheatley highly in multiple forms of pass coverage, from deep routes to intermediate throws, but he’s better in zone than man. According to Sports Info Solutions, Wheatley gave up a deserved-catch rate of 89 percent when in coverage.

He also has room to add weight, which would help him wrap opponents and limit missed tackles. When guarding tight ends, Wheatley certainly has the length, but in man-coverage, the size difference sometimes makes it hard for him to win those battles. Playing with more physicality will only improve his game.

According to SIS’ scouting report, “Against the run, Wheatley struggles to be effective in the body and around the line of scrimmage. He is better at being an eraser and handling running backs who get into the second and third levels of the defense.”

Will Wheatley start as a rookie?

As a Day 2 pick, Wheatley will have to work to make a starting lineup, and that's OK. He would benefit from a year of development.

However, he is one of Penn State's most NFL-ready players in this draft class and could get an early shot as a special teams contributor because of his open-field tackling ability. Wheatley can become a consistent starter over time just as he did at Penn State.

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