Zakee Wheatley arrived on campus at Penn State as a cornerback but transitioned to safety and became a two-year starter from 2024-25.

How he’ll factor in at the next level remains to be seen, but the Carolina Panthers, seemingly intrigued by his versatility, will find out soon enough, as they chose Wheatley during the fifth round (151st overall) on Saturday during the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh.

Wheatley was the fifth Nittany Lion selected in the draft, following offensive linemen Vega Ioane (14th overall, Baltimore) and Drew Shelton (112th, Cowboys), quarterback Drew Allar (Steelers, 76th) and defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton (120th, Green Bay).

Wheatley leans into his versatility and physicality.

“I think I’m pretty versatile,” Wheatley told reporters at the NFL Combine. “I think the beginning years at Penn State, I was aligned in the post and showed off my range, but this year allowed me to be in the box and fill the alley more. I really appreciate that part of the game. … The NFL looks for guys who can do multiple things.”

Last season, Wheatley played in 12 games for the Nittany Lions, opting out of the Pinstripe Bowl but still recording 74 tackles with a fumble recovery, pass breakup and interception.

For his efforts, he earned All-Big Ten honorable mention accolades.

His finest statistical campaign came in 2024, when Penn State advanced to the College Football Playoff semifinal vs. Notre Dame, coming within a field goal of making it to the national championship.

In the Orange Bowl vs. the Fighting Irish, Wheatley made 16 tackles, tying Kurt Allerman (1976 Gator Bowl) for the most ever by a Penn State player in a bowl/CFP game.

That year, Wheatley posted career-highs with 96 tackles, 2.5 sacks, four pass breakups and three picks.

A 6-foot-3, 203-pound native of Crofton, Md., Wheatley played at Penn State from 2021-25, appearing in 58 total games with 28 starts. In both 2022 and 2023, he appeared in 13 games for Penn State, working his way into the defensive back rotation.