Background

Zakee Wheatley attended Archbishop Spalding High School in Severn, Maryland, where he played both wide receiver and safety and also lettered in basketball and baseball. He was a pitcher and center fielder as a freshman on the diamond. As a junior, he posted 56 catches for 810 yards and 7 touchdowns on offense and 5 interceptions, 7 pass breakups, and 30 tackles on defense before the COVID-19 pandemic limited his senior season to just two games. He is one of seven siblings and frequently volunteers at Happy Helpers, an organization that provides food, clothing, and toiletries for Maryland's homeless population. A consensus four-star recruit, he signed with Penn State and played his entire five-year career in Happy Valley. He saw limited action early, then his career turned in 2024 when starter Kevin Winston Jr. went down with an injury: Wheatley stepped in for all 16 games and posted 96 tackles, 3 interceptions, and a forced fumble, earning All-Big Ten Honorable Mention. His playoff run was the highlight, capped by 16 tackles, a sack, and an interception against Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl, earning Fiesta Bowl MVP. He returned as the lone safety with starting experience in 2025 after both Winston and Jaylen Reed left for the NFL. Career totals across 58 games: over 150 tackles and multiple interceptions with experience at deep safety, in the box, and in the slot. He is majoring in business and wants to earn his MBA. He declared for the 2026 NFL Draft.

Physical Attributes

If this is not one of the oddest sets of athletic testing, I have ever seen. It does not make sense. So he has one of the best 20-yard splits, but his 10 yard is horrible? He can sink his hips in the shuttle, but not sink and turn in the three cone? What the hell is up with his jumping? On tape, that weirdness plays out too, where he looks slow to start, then picks up steam, then tops out pretty quickly. He changes directions fluidly, and his on-field testing earned him an 8.71 from me at the combine, but quick changes that require burst side to side were more difficult. Uses his size and strength well in the tackle.

Data and Tape Analysis

If you are unfamiliar with my S radar charts, you can find more information here

Over-aged player again here, with Wheatley having turned 24 during the combine. Knowing that, this still looks like a pretty strong radar chart. Even in a disaster season for Penn State, how did Wheatley do this?

So there is a problem in the chart above. Wheatley split his zone coverage and man coverage reps relatively evenly. However, opponents only targeted him twice in man coverage, and he intercepted one of those two passes. That inflates his score because overall, in man coverage, I think Wheatley struggles more. His weird speed profile and more difficult sudden changes make it harder for him to stay with a receiver on any route with sudden cuts.

In zone coverage, Wheatley still has those same problems, but they are not as prominent. His lack of long speed hurts his ability to keep the top on the offense, as some receivers can blow right past him. He has decent instincts, if sometimes is led a little too much by the QBs eyes to the wrong spot. Though while the QB can fake him out, he is much more adept at following receivers in zone, and does not fall as hard for their moves.

In the run, Wheatley wants to get involved. His tackling can come and go a bit, and it is all based on his technique and eagerness. When patient, he lines up the tackle well and drives through his legs to make a stop with little extra yardage allowed. There are a decent number of times on film where that does not happen, though, and he ends up doing a pass by, or nipping at ankles, or worst chasing shadows by losing control.

Grade and Outlook

Wheatley looks like a serviceable NFL starter. At 24, I do not know how much more juice there is to squeeze unless someone can figure out what the hell is up with his physical testing and can even it all out. He will struggle against the deep ball, but will offer support in the short and intermediate game while not being a loss in the run.

Grade: 5.3 (3rd Rounder)