Carolina Panthers select Penn State S Zakee Wheatley in 5th Round of 2026 NFL Draft

The Carolina Panthers have selected Penn State safety Zakee Wheatley in the 2026 NFL Draft. Wheatley comes off the board in the fifth round, with the No. 151 overall pick. He becomes the fifth Penn State safety selected in the NFL Draft since 2022 (Jaquan Brisker, Ji’Ayir Brown, Kevin Winston Jr., and Jaylen Reed).

Across five seasons at Penn State, Wheatley compiled 22 tackles, six interceptions, six pass deflections, two forced fumbles, and one sack. He was named the Defensive MVP of the 2024 Fiesta Bowl, which saw the Nittany Lions knock off Boise State 31-14. In that game, Wheatley recorded a career-high 16 tackles with one fumble recovery and one interception.

A few of Wheatley’s strengths (from his NFL.com profile) include ‘more alert and decisive in coverage in 2025’, ‘versatility to play from a variety of alignments,’ and ‘drives downhill for physical finishes to plays.” On the flip side, a few of his weaknesses include ‘flows faster than change of direction can handle at times’, ‘needs to play with more consistent pad level in run support,’ and ‘must punch and play off blocks with better consistency.’

During Wheatley’s tenure at Penn State, the program compiled a 48-20 record and advanced to the College Football Playoff Semifinal in 2024.

What NFL Draft analysts are saying about Zakee Wheatley

A scouting report was provided on Wheatley ahead of the Draft by NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein. Wheatley was graded as a ‘good backup with the potential to develop into a starter’, with a prospect score of 6.15. He compared the Penn State product to Los Angeles Rams safety Kam Curl.

Across six NFL seasons (four with Commanders, two with Rams), Curl has totaled 586 tackles, 18 TFL, 8.0 sacks, five interceptions, and four forced fumbles. Not a bad comparison.

“Wheatley is a long, athletic safety whose career arc shows steady development,” Zierlein wrote. “He played with better decisiveness and route recognition from man and zone looks in 2025. He’s rangy with the ability to play over the top or close quickly to limit run-after-catch.

“Physicality near the line is average, but he competes and stays in the fight. His tackle radius is wide, but he needs cleaner pursuit angles and better play strength to limit missed tackles. Wheatley is still improving and should check in as a Day 2 pick with the potential to develop into a solid starter.”