The 2026 NFL Draft will be a great event for teams to start building for their future. Here is the Zakee Wheatley NFL Draft Profile.
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Position: Safety
School: Penn State
Size: 6-foot-3, 203 pounds
Class: Senior
2025 stats: 74 total tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 interception, 1 pass defended, 1 fumble recovery
Wheatley was a four-star recruit in the class of 2021 who signed with Penn State out of Maryland. He redshirted in his first season and played sparingly. In 2022, Wheatley registered 27 total tackles, two interceptions and one pass defended. He helped the team win 11 games that season. For the 2023 season, he was still a reserve that totaled 24 tackles. Wheatley stepped into the lineup in 2024, as he had 96 total tackles, three interceptions and four passes defended. He aided the Nittany Lions in making the CFP semifinals that season. For the 2025 season, Wheatley had 74 total tackles, one interception and one pass defended. Although he played well, Penn State struggled.
Following the season, Wheatley has been preparing for the 2026 NFL Draft. He is currently projected to be a second to fourth round pick.
He has a solid build for the position, as he measured in at 6-foot-3 and 203 pounds at the NFL Combine. That is good for an NFL safety and he should have the ability to fill out his frame more at the next level. He also had solid length at 31-inches, which helps him with tackling and battling bigger receivers and tight ends.
Wheatley is a good run defender. He played in the box a decent amount during his college career. Wheatley can shed some blocks, but he also can slip them as well. He gets through traffic decently. His pursuit angles aren’t always the cleanest, but he overall has good pursuit to put himself in position to make plays.
His versatility is unique as well. Wheatley has the ability to play in a deep zone or in zones closer to the line of scrimmage. His ability to play in the box or deep can help him be an extra defender against the run at times. Defensive coordinators will love moving him around and using him to their advantage.
Wheatley has average ball skills at best and didn’t have the greatest production during his time at Penn State. He can attack the catch point more aggressively, but can also track the ball well in the air. Wheatley has solid coverage abilities, but may not make a lot of plays on the ball.
He can clean up some of the missed tackles on tape. Wheatley needs to come to balance more in the openfield before making a tackle. If he can be a more technical tackler, his impact will go way up based on the way he plays.
While he has solid zone coverage from different depths of the field, his man coverage can use some work. Wheatley doesn’t have the agility to mirror receivers well in man-to-man. He can match up with tight ends though, which is valuable.
Projected Draft Range: Second Round Pick-Fourth Round Pick
Draft Grade: Third Round Pick
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