Penn State football safety Zakee Wheatley came to the Nittany Lions in 2021 as a four-star and No. 350 overall recruit out of Maryland.
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Since 2022, Wheatley played in 54 games for Penn State, 13 a piece as a redshirt freshman and sophomore, 16 as a junior in 2024, and 12 as a senior. He redshirted his true freshman season, playing in four contests for the blue and white.
The Nittany Lions' 2024 season ultimately set them up for disappointment in 2025. Even knowing that now, though, Wheatley said, according to Penn Live, that he doesn't regret his decision to return. There were two options the safety could have taken: declare for the 2025 NFL Draft (which a majority of those eligible to return turned down) or enter the Transfer Portal.
“I had a chance to leave and hop in the portal,” Wheatley told Johnny McGonigal. “We all know how crazy the portal is. But I never did that. I had my loyalty to Penn State, to Coach (James) Franklin, to Coach Terry Smith, Coach Anthony Poindexeter, and I wouldn’t go back and change that for anything.”
As a junior, Wheatley logged 96 tackles, four passes defensed, three interceptions, 2.5 tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble, and one sack. In 2025, he had 74 tackles, two tackles for loss, one pass defensed, one fumble recovery, and one interception.
Wheatley turning down the opportunity to leave the Nittany Lions one way or another, despite the downturn of the 2025 season, benefited him. While his production decreased given the situation of the season, his talent and ability did not.
He maintained consistency sticking with Penn State and put himself in a position to impress NFL teams looking at his past two seasons and what he can accomplish at the Senior Bowl. Wheatley alongside a multitude of Nittany Lions who declared for the 2026 NFL Draft are prepared to show the pros the kinds of players Penn State helped shape.
"The amount of growth I had as a person, as a player, as a man, I just appreciate Penn State for that," Wheatley said to McGonigal. "I’m forever blessed for that.”