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Penn State Football: The 2023 Safety Room is Loaded with Talent

By Morgan Chapman

STATE COLLEGE, PA - OCTOBER 22: Zakee Wheatley #6 of the Penn State Nittany Lions celebrates after a play against the Minnesota Golden Gophers during the first half at Beaver Stadium on October 22, 2022 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
STATE COLLEGE, PA - OCTOBER 22: Zakee Wheatley #6 of the Penn State Nittany Lions celebrates after a play against the Minnesota Golden Gophers during the first half at Beaver Stadium on October 22, 2022 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /
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Zakee Wheatley

STATE COLLEGE, PA – SEPTEMBER 24: Safety Zakee Wheatley #6 of the Penn State Nittany Lions returns an interception against the Central Michigan Chippewas during the first half at Beaver Stadium on September 24, 2022 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
STATE COLLEGE, PA – SEPTEMBER 24: Safety Zakee Wheatley #6 of the Penn State Nittany Lions returns an interception against the Central Michigan Chippewas during the first half at Beaver Stadium on September 24, 2022 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /

Zakee Wheatley enters his redshirt sophomore season in 2023. I don’t know if any of us saw his emergence before last season. He generated a ton of buzz during the Spring of 2022. He was awarded the Takeaway King for the Penn State football team last spring. This award was well deserved given the impact he made when he was on the field last season.

Headed into the 2023 season, I believe he will be the starter opposite of Keaton Ellis. To me, he’s just too talented to keep off the field. He’s a ballhawk and proved that during the 2022 season, he had 2 interceptions and 3 pass breakups.

In the first game of the 2022 season he made his presence known as he forced a fumble right before halftime, which eventually lead to a Penn State touchdown drive.

Wheatley has a similar skill set as former Penn State safety Ji’Ayir Brown, he always seems to be in the right place at the right time.

He’s not just a ballhawk either, he registered 27 tackles last season, and this one was one of my favorites.

https://twitter.com/BasicBluesPod/status/1587480645437198347?s=20

He’s another player that started his career at cornerback and then moved to safety prior to last season. That position change has really paid off for Wheatley.

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