A five-year Penn State safety and Fiesta Bowl Defensive MVP who Carolina traded up to draft in the fifth round.
Zakee Wheatley is a rookie safety for the Carolina Panthers, selected in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft after the team traded up to get him. The Maryland native spent five seasons at Penn State, developing into a versatile, ball-hawking presence in the Nittany Lions' secondary before betting on one more college season instead of entering the 2025 draft.
Path to the league
A four-star recruit out of Archbishop Spalding High School in Severn, Maryland, Wheatley chose Penn State over Boston College, Michigan State and Virginia. He redshirted in 2021, developed into a rotational piece and eventually a full-time starter, then chose to return to Penn State for the 2025 season rather than enter the draft early. Carolina traded up to select him with the No. 151 overall pick in the 2026 draft.
Career highlights
Wheatley's breakout came in 2024, when he stepped into a larger role after a teammate's injury and finished with 77 tackles, four pass breakups, 1.5 tackles for loss and an interception across 14 games. He was named Defensive MVP of the 2024 Fiesta Bowl after recording an interception and fumble recovery in Penn State's 31-14 win over Boise State.
2025 season recap
As a redshirt senior in 2025, Wheatley again played nearly every defensive snap and finished second on the team with 74 tackles, anchoring a Penn State secondary through an up-and-down season. His versatility and consistent production made him one of five Nittany Lions drafted in 2026.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Zakee Wheatley
- Panthers.com: Zakee Wheatley
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Safety
- Group
- defense
- College
- Penn State
- Hometown
- Crofton, MD, USA
- Age
- 24
- Status
- active
