Why Zakee Wheatley is Most Likely Non-Round 1 Rookie to Play for Panthers

The Carolina Panthers drafted several rookies who have a good chance of starting. In fact, it wouldn't be a huge surprise if six of them (excluding Jackson Kuwatch) ended up starting, or at least seeing the field a lot.

But among them, and not counting the first-round pick that, for most teams, is a day-one starter anyway (although maybe not in this case), it looks like Zakee Wheatley might be poised to play the most.

Zakee Wheatley has a direct path to playing time with the Panthers

Penn State defensive back Zakee Wheatley (DB54) during the NFL Scouting Combine | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

We believe the most likely non-round one rookie to start (which actually just means the most likely rookie to start, since Monroe Freeling is unlikely to at this point) is Sam Hecht. Even Lee Hunter feels very likely.

But if there were a round-one rookie we really want to start over all others, it's certainly Zakee Wheatley. The gap between Hecht and Luke Fortner isn't monumental, and Bobby Brown III is a capable nose tackle ahead of Hunter, unless he moves over into Tershawn Wharton's spot.

But Wheatley, in our opinion, is the perfect defensive backfield partner for Tre'von Moehrig, and he projects to be a significant upgrade over Nick Scott, who we would prefer not to see on the field very much.

Wheatley has the pass coverage grades from college to suggest he can make up for Moehrig's lack there, and Moehrig's run-defending prowess will help make up for the fact that Wheatley isn't really a box player.

But either way, Scott seems to be the starter with the most tenuous hold on a spot over a rookie right now, as CBS Sports analyst Josh Edwards pointed out. That's what makes Wheatley a likely contributor early on.

"Carolina's depth chart is susceptible to secondary players coming in and making an impact. The Panthers drafted a few who can compete for immediate playing time: Texas A&M cornerback Will Lee III and Wheatley," he wrote.

Edwards continued, "The expectation was that Wheatley would have been taken much earlier and the franchise was happy to land him where they did. Nick Scott and Tre'von Moehrig are roadblocks to him seeing the field more often. Wheatley has good size and recorded six interceptions over the past four years."

Safety Nick Scott (21) defended in the fourth quarter in an NFC Wild Card Round | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The Panthers do love Scott, for some reason. But Wheatley has the talent to take his spot from him and work alongside Moehrig instead of being buried behind him.

In a perfect world, the Panthers would have Moehrig backed up by Lathan Ransom and Wheatley backed up by Scott, with all four seeing a decent amount of the field to keep fresh and give Ejiro Evero different looks to work with.

Regardless of how the depth chart sets up, though, it is pretty likely that all four will see the field plenty, because the three non-rookies there all saw the field last year, and Wheatley has the talent to keep up.

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