Patriots draft profile: Zakee Wheatley can do a little bit of everything

STATE COLLEGE, PA - SEPTEMBER 13: Zakee Wheatley #6 of the Penn State Nittany Lions celebrates after a play against the Villanova Wildcats during the first half at West Shore Home Field at Beaver Stadium on September 13, 2025 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The New England Patriots appear to be set atop their safety depth chart, with sophomore Craig Woodson and veteran free agency pickup Kevin Byard as the projected starters heading into the 2026 season. Despite their presence, however, the team is far from done equipping the group for the future.

The 32-year-old Byard in particular, after all, is unlikely to be in the Patriots’ plans long-term. And so, adding another developmental option might make sense — a developmental option like Penn State’s Zakee Wheatley.

Hard facts

Name: Zakee Wheatley

Position: Safety

School: Penn State (RS Sr.)

Opening day age: 24 (2/28/2002)

Measurements: 6’3 1/8”, 203 lbs, 31” arm length, 9 1/2” hand size, 4.62s 40-yard dash, 6.98s 3-cone drill, 4.11s short shuttle, 32 1/2” vertical jump, 10’2” broad jump, 7.68 Relative Athletic Score

Experience

Colleges: Penn State (2021-25)

Career statistics: 58 games (28 starts) | 2,183 defensive snaps, 446 special teams snaps | 223 tackles, 39 missed tackles (14.9%), 5 TFLs, 2 FFs, 3 FRs | 7 QB pressures (1.0 sack, 3 hits, 3 hurries) | 69 targets, 50 catches surrendered (72.5%), 608 yards, 6 TDs, 6 INTs, 8 PBUs | 3 special teams tackles | 1 penalties (incl. 0 declined/offsetting)

Accolades: Honorable mention All-Big Ten (2025)

Playing both wide receiver and defensive back at Archbishop Spalding High School in Severn, MD, Wheatley received several high-profile offers as a three-star recruit. But while schools such as Michigan, Boston College and Maryland all threw their hat into the ring, he eventually committed to Penn State.

Wheatley redshirted his first season in Happy Valley and later made the move from cornerback to safety. A part-time player for the Nittany Lions in 2022 and 2023, he broke out in 2024 and became a fixture on the team’s defense. In total, he started 28 games and registered seven takeaways (four interceptions plus three fumble recoveries) over his final two seasons and college and was named an honorable All-Big Ten mention as a senior in 2025.

Draft profile

Projected round: 3-4 | Consensus big board: No. 88 | Patriots meeting: 30 visit

Strengths: Wheatley is a tall, lean athlete with adequate length to disrupt throws. He lacks high-end speed but has shown he can play sideline to sideline, and make up for it in different ways: he plays with urgency and has shown some good awareness in coverage. He quickly closes in on ball carriers, and is a proven ballhawk with the baseline anticipation and hands reflective of his wide receiver background. He also is a willing run defender who is not afraid to come down hard when playing in the box, and who reacts instinctively to screen passes and misdirection plays. He finished his college career without any defensive penalties.

Weaknesses: Wheatley’s slight frame can lead to difficult tackles and getting boxed out at the catch point, meaning he will have to add some mass entering the NFL. His tackling is inconsistent; while the intent is there, the technique and attack angles tend to break down when he tries to force a stop. As noted earlier, he lacks true top speed — something that could become a bigger issue at the pros than it was in college — and is not the most sudden of movers in space either. His lower-body flexibility being limited impacts his success in 1-on-1 coverage; he is at his best when the action happens in front of him and he is not asked to run with his assignments.

Patriots preview

What would be his role? Wheatley is a scheme-flexible safety who can find a role playing both in the slot or deep in either one- or two-high shells. While his flexibility would give the Patriots options should they add him, the experience higher up on the depth chart would likely limit his chances as a rookie. The goal, however, would be long-term stability with him and Craig Woodson as the starting duo.

Does he have positional versatility? Yes, indeed. While long removed from his days as a cornerback let alone a wide receiver, Wheatley is still a versatile player. As noted above, he can play several roles within the context of the safety position and furthermore also move into the slot or contribute in the kicking game: he saw extensive action at three of the core four units at Penn State (punt return, kickoff return, kickoff coverage), even though most of it came before 2024.

What is his growth potential? Wheatley might need to add more bulk to prepare himself for the physical toll the NFL takes, and also improve his tackling technique. He also has limitations that might prevent him from ever becoming a true elite option at the position, and at age 24 is on a shallower developmental curve than younger prospects, but he could still become a serviceable player as a third safety/core special teamer or even a potential starter if all comes together.

Why the Patriots? Wheatley checks plenty of boxes the Patriots value, including his physical play style, off-field demeanor and favorable projection in a zone-based coverage scheme. He also would address an under-the-radar need even if he does not develop into Kevin Byard’s successor; the 24-year-old at the least projects as a long-term upgrade over Dell Pettus as the third safety.

Why not the Patriots? If the Patriots are serious about building up the safety group behind possible one-and-done starter Byard, they might not want to wait until the late third round. Instead, they might want to go with one of the more polished prospects expected to come off the board sooner.

One-sentence verdict: Wheatley is not the flashiest of prospects in terms of measurables and ball production, but he has shown he can do a little bit of everything.

For more information about Zakee Wheatley and the rest of this year’s class of prospects, please take a look at Adam’s 2026 NFL Draft Guide.

Also, what do you think about Wheatley as a potential Patriots target? Do you like him? Where would you pick him? Please head down to the comment section to share your thoughts.