SI All-American Candidate Zakee Wheatley Highlights and Evaluation
Prospect: Zakee Wheatley
Status: SI All-American Candidate
Vitals: 6-foot-3, 180 pounds
Position: Safety
School: Severn (Md.) Archbishop Spalding
Committed to: Penn State
Projected Position: Safety
Frame: Tall with broad shoulders and great length. Defined arms and wide chest with room to add considerable mass to the trunk and lower half.
Athleticism: Long strider with above-average down the field speed and range while working the secondary. Plus body control with ball tracking skill and finishing ability at the high point. Doesn’t lose momentum or add panic with the ball in the air.
Instincts: Comfortable after the catch with some vision and one-cut, make-em-miss ability. Thrives in tight quarters with leverage physicality despite high center of gravity. Finisher when working downhill. Comes off the hash with power, plus play-recognition and purpose.
Polish: Lines up at wide receiver, cornerback and safety on Friday nights with prospects at wideout and safety moving forward. Length, range and physicality lend towards defense but vertical ability and comfort catching the ball away from the body make an offensive case. Relatively raw from a technical standpoint at all positions.
Bottom Line: Wheatley has a legitimate case to play on either side of the ball in college but the element that pushes him towards defense for us is the physicality. Willing to strike as a light, high center of gravity part-time defensive back is encouraging when the strong length and ball skills combine. As he polishes up as a true safety, he should work his way onto the field as a rock-solid college contributor.