Zakee Wheatley is the next Nittany Lion off to the NFL.
Wheatley heard this name called this weekend, being selected by the Tennessee Titans in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh.
A captain and defensive leader in the secondary at Penn State, Wheatley blossomed into a solid player for Terry Smith.
Wheatley made 74 tackles, two tackles for loss, one fumble recovery, and one interception during his redshirt senior year.
A two-year starter at safety, Wheatley closed his Penn State career with 11 takeaways, including six picks.
He spent five years at Penn State and returned to school following PSU’s journey to the College Football Playoff semifinals in 2024, returning to help improve his stock and chase a national title.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.Wheatley finished his Penn State career with 58 games played (28 starts), making 223 tackles, five tackles for loss, one sack, two forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, six pass breakups, and 12 passes defended.
Wheatley played his best in the Orange Bowl, making 16 tackles against Notre Dame. His total ranked tied for the third-most ever by a PSU player in a bowl game and the most since Lance Mehl (17) in 1979.
He joins a secondary pipeline that includes Joey Porter Jr., Jaquan Brisker, Jaylen Reed, and others who are making in impact in the league.
The NFL Draft concludes with the 4th-7th rounds on Saturday.
