04-25-2026, 01:37 PM -
Panthers traded down twice to move to 129 in the 4th. The pick.....
Will Lee III
Hometown: St. Louis, MO
Birthday: April 9, 2003
Age: 23
Jersey: No. 4
High School: Kirkwood
Year: Fifth-year senior
A two-year starter at Texas A&M (and three-year starter overall), Lee lined up outside to the boundary in Elko’s man/zone scheme. After going the juco route and spending the 2023 season at Kansas State, he established himself as one of the SEC’s better cornerbacks over the past two seasons — although he did not record an interception in 2025.
A rangy athlete, Lee uses his long arms to jam at the line of scrimmage or play through the hands of receivers. His cover awareness is a strength, but he has too many mistimed moments, which lead to penalties or big plays.
Dane’s takeaway
Lee has more volatility on his tape than is ideal, but he is a long, explosive athlete with the coverage instincts to find the football. The uneven nature of his game might make it tough for him to lock down a starting job, but he should get plenty of chances.
Note: Combine: Limited workout (choice; left hamstring).
Strengths
Tall, broad frame, with lean muscle and long arms
Flashes twitch in lower body to match in press man (earned nickname “The Blanket” in juco)
Quick trigger to blow up slants and underneath patterns
Gets his head turned downfield and locates ball mid-air
Uses large wingspan to get his hands inside and rake ball out (eight-plus passes defended in each of three FBS seasons)
Spunky in press man to establish early contact
Drops pads into ball carriers for cold stops
Team sources say he loves the game and wants to be great
Weaknesses
Wiry with questionable play strength, especially in his lower half
Gives up inside position too easily and grabs to recover
Handsy coverage style leads to inevitable flags (six interference/holding penalties in 2025)
Average burst in transitions
Can get beat over the top and struggles to make up ground
Allowed a 20-plus-yard completion in seven games in 2025
Inconsistent success rate getting off blocks and rallying to the football
Throws his body around but tackling strike zone is erratic
Background
William “Will” Lee III, who has six older sisters, grew up in St. Louis, Mo., and was raised primarily by his father (William Jr.), whom he calls his “best friend.” He was around sports his entire life and was a multisport athlete, including baseball and basketball, throughout childhood. His uncle (Darrell Lee) played defensive end at Florida (2000-03) and signed with the Dallas Cowboys after going undrafted in 2004. Will Lee III started playing football in second grade as a running back (he grew up rooting for former St. Louis Rams running back Steven Jackson). His father, uncle and grandparents moved to Houston when he was in third grade, but he continued to play Little League football in Kirkwood, Mo.
Lee attended Kirkwood High School, the alma mater of his father, uncle and grandparents. He was on varsity all four years as a wide receiver, and he played defensive back as a freshman and sophomore before moving to linebacker as a junior. Lee earned first-team all-state honors as a junior (61 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and four sacks), helping Kirkwood win the 2019 conference title. He again earned all-conference honors as a senior, but the 2020 season was cut short because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Lee also lettered in basketball and track, setting personal bests of 12.14 seconds in the 100-meter dash, 25.14 in the 200, 6 feet in the high jump, 18-8 in the long jump and 42-5.5 in the triple jump.
A three-star recruit, Lee was the 262nd-ranked wide receiver in the 2021 class and the No. 26 recruit in Missouri. He enjoyed playing basketball the most growing up, but his focus started to shift to football when he received his first offer (Iowa). During a basketball game his sophomore year, Lee was noticed by an Iowa assistant coach, who was on campus to recruit Lee’s Kirkwood teammate (Ja’Mori Maclin, who ultimately signed with Missouri). Lee added several other MAC and FCS offers before narrowing down his choice to Ball State, Iowa and Iowa State. However, he wasn’t academically eligible and instead enrolled in junior college.
Lee attended Iowa Western Community College, where he redshirted in 2021 and then helped the program win the 2022 NJCAA national championship. He was named a juco All-American as a redshirt freshman cornerback and was the 37th-ranked juco recruit in the 2023 class. Lee considered offers from Arkansas, Florida State, Iowa, Oregon State and others before committing to Kansas State. He played one season with the Wildcats before entering the transfer portal in November 2023. Considered one of the top defensive backs in the portal, Lee received offers from Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Illinois, LSU, Ole Miss, USC and Washington. But after visiting newly hired head coach Mike Elko at Texas A&M, he committed to the Aggies (being close to his family in Houston was also a strong factor).
Lee graduated with a degree from Texas A&M in agricultural leadership and development in December 2025. He accepted an invitation to the Senior Bowl but pulled out before the event.
Round 5...pick 144
Sam Hecht
Hometown: Shawnee, KS
Birthday: April 3, 2003
Age: 23.1
Jersey: No. 75
High School: Mill Valley
Year: Fifth-year senior
A two-year starter at Kansas State, Hecht lined up at center (right-handed snapper) in former offensive coordinator Matt Wells’ balanced scheme. A high school tackle and undersized walk-on, he worked his way up the depth chart at guard before moving to center, a position he hadn’t played until recently. Hecht started every game the last two seasons — he allowed zero sacks and committed zero penalties as a senior.
Hecht has a firm grasp of his strengths as a player and how to use his talent to get the job done. More strong than powerful, he is quick to engage and sustains well with tight, stubborn hands. He offers range and movement ability to be effective on the move, though his feet get a tad heavy when redirecting to answer defensive pressure. Soft spoken off the field, Hecht is a consistent finisher and hasn’t lost his walk-on work ethic.
Dane’s takeaway
Hecht is a wide-bodied blocker with outstanding instincts and play strength to cover up his man. He is “good enough” in most areas of the position to push for starting reps and offers depth at guard, despite having little experience there.
Strengths
Carries solid mass on wide frame, especially in lower half (added more than 50 pounds in college)
Solid athleticism and has little trouble unlocking body movements
Controlled footwork in setup to get into a balanced position (run and pass)
Enough lateral quickness to work a gap over on stretch or zone
Able to widen his base and use functional strength to fight back against bull rushers
Zero penalties in 2025
Intelligent player who quickly picks up on things
Quiet, head-down, go-to-work mindset (what you would expect from a KSU center)
Developed toughness playing through painful shin splints as a freshman (didn’t want to tell anyone because he was still a walk-on)
Durable — started 25 straight games to finish his college career
Weaknesses
Mediocre length — will have trouble combatting long-armed nose tackles
Able to slide through lateral engagement but loses positioning at times
Average body fluidity when reacting to slanting quickness
Rushes to blocking angles, giving defenders opportunities to adjust
Doesn’t play with drive power to easily uproot his target
99.1 percent of college snaps came at center; lacks ideal on-field experience at guard
2021 Redshirted; walked on
2023 Put on scholarship after 2023 season
2024 Second Team All-Big 12
2025 First Team All-Big 12
Background
Samuel “Sam” Hecht, the youngest of four boys, grew up just outside of Kansas City, Kan., with his parents (Jon and Shelley). He was introduced to football by his older brother (Ben), an all-state offensive lineman at Mill Valley High School who then played for head coach Chris Klieman at North Dakota State (2016-18). Sam Hecht started playing organized football in the first grade with his elementary school friends, and that group played together through high school. He also played baseball, basketball and soccer. Hecht and his fiancée (Grace Moser), a Kansas State alum, are planning to get married in June 2026.
Hecht attended Mill Valley High School in Shawnee, Kan., where he was a three-year letterman as an offensive tackle. He moved up to varsity as a sophomore and was part of a deep offensive line rotation. As a junior left tackle, Hecht earned second-team all-state honors and helped Mill Valley capture the 2019 Class 5A state championship with an 11-3 record (started 1-3 before finishing with 10 straight wins). As a senior in 2020, he led Mill Valley to its second straight state title and a 9-2 record. Hecht was named first-team all-state at left tackle in his final season.
A no-star recruit, Hecht wasn’t ranked by 247 Sports Composite in the 2021 class. As a 245-pound offensive lineman, he went overlooked as an FBS recruit. Hecht received his first FCS offer (Illinois State) in March 2020, followed by offers from Abilene Christian, Eastern Illinois, South Dakota State and several Ivy League schools (Brown, Penn, Princeton, Yale). Kent State started to show interest, and Missouri offered a preferred walk-on spot, but Hecht knew where he was headed when Kansas State offered him a walk-on opportunity. His offensive line coach at Mill Valley (Terrale Johnson, who died in 2024) was an offensive lineman at Kansas State (2014-16). Hecht was also familiar with Klieman and offensive line coach Conor Riley, who coached Hecht’s brother at North Dakota State. (Riley left the Wildcats after the 2024 season to become offensive line coach for the Dallas Cowboys.)
After three seasons as a walk-on, Hecht was put on scholarship and became a starter his final two seasons. He moved to guard when he arrived in Manhattan, then to center as an upperclassman. Hecht is a three-time Academic All-Big 12 recipient and was a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy. He accepted an invitation to the Senior Bowl.
Traded up for pick 151 and picked......
Zakee Wheatley
Hometown: Crofton, MD
Birthday: February 28, 2002
Age: 24.2
Jersey: No. 6
High School: Archbishop Spalding
Year: Fifth-year senior
A two-year starter at Penn State, Wheatley was a boundary safety in former defensive coordinator Jim Knowles’ scheme, splitting his snaps between the box and one- or two-high looks. After a productive 2024 season, he entered this past season as my top-ranked senior safety prospect and was one of the more consistent parts of the Penn State defense, despite a decrease in his ball production.
A lean, stretched-out athlete, Wheatley needs to be more consistent with his run-fit angles and finishing skills, but he is a willing run defender with a decisive downhill trigger. In coverage, he plays with balance and ball skills with a solid feel for route concepts, although on-ball production is missing from his 2025 tape.
Dane’s takeaway
Wheatley is an alert, fluid athlete who can be versatile in the passing game and productive as a key-and-drive defender. He has starting potential in a zone scheme, preferably with a two-high foundation but also offers nickel and dime flexibility.
Strengths
Tall, long frame with adequate definition and room to add more mass
Balanced, fluid athlete who has ankle flexion and lower-body agility
Marginal top-end speed but good closing burst when closing ground
Improved feel for route development and spacing in zone coverage
Plays with body control and ball skills of a wide receiver around the catch point (see his one-handed interception vs. 2025 Iowa)
Physical tackler — drops his shoulder into the lower half of the ball carrier
Creates knockback when attacking screen/perimeter blocks
Didn’t commit a penalty in college
Described as “high energy” — NFL scouts say his work ethic and leadership behind the scenes matured each year
Weaknesses
Mediocre take-on and tackling strength as a finisher
Flies downhill in run support but often sacrifices technique, leading to ankle-biting or fly-by attempts
Gets pinballed by blockers when aligned at the line
Lacks ideal long speed for the position
More comfortable in zone than man; not proven when stressed vertically one-on-one
Ball production declined in 2025 (only pass breakup came versus FIU)
Didn’t play on special teams (aside from field goal blocks) as a junior and senior
2021 Redshirted; enrolled May 2021
2024 Led team in INT and PD
2025 Honorable Mention All-Big Ten; missed bowl game (opt-out)
Background
Zakee (Zack-KEY) Kai Wheatley, who has a younger brother (Zarek) and younger sister (Kyrah), grew up in Crofton, Md., with his parents (Zakee Sr. and Kasia). His father remarried (Lynette) in 2018, and Zakee gained four step-siblings (Robert, Alex, Erik and Celisse).
Wheatley was an avid athlete throughout childhood, playing baseball, basketball and football. He started playing defensive back at the 9U level in Pop Warner and later suited up for the Columbia Ravens (his father helped coach) in Howard County, Md. Wheatley played 7-on-7 football in high school for the Charm City Elite National team.
Wheatley attended Archbishop Spalding High School, a private Catholic school in Severn, Md. After playing mostly on the JV squad as a freshman, he moved up to varsity, where he played both ways as a wide receiver (20 catches, 366 yards, four touchdowns) and defensive back (11 tackles, one interception). Wheatley had his most productive season as a junior and was named all-city and all-county. He led Archbishop Spalding to the 2019 Class A state playoffs and finished his junior season with 28 tackles and three interceptions, adding 56 receptions for 803 yards and seven touchdowns. His senior season was cut down to only two games because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but Wheatley finished with 10 tackles and two interceptions. He also played baseball as a freshman (pitcher and center fielder) and lettered twice in basketball.
A three-star recruit, Wheatley was the 24th-ranked safety in the 2021 class and the No. 15 recruit in Maryland. His sophomore season put him on the recruiting map, and he received his first offer (Liberty) in May 2019. Wheatley added offers from several programs in the ACC (Boston College, Pittsburgh, Virginia, Virginia Tech) and Big Ten (Maryland, Michigan State, Northwestern, Penn State). He also received late interest from Notre Dame, but Wheatley was set on Penn State and officially committed in April 2020. He was the 11th-ranked recruit in head coach James Franklin’s 2021 class. Wheatley started out as a cornerback for the Nittany Lions during a redshirt year in 2021 before moving to safety in 2022.
He graduated with a degree in telecommunications (December 2025). Wheatley opted out of the Nittany Lions’ bowl game and accepted an invitation to the Senior Bowl.
Will Lee III
Hometown: St. Louis, MO
Birthday: April 9, 2003
Age: 23
Jersey: No. 4
High School: Kirkwood
Year: Fifth-year senior
A two-year starter at Texas A&M (and three-year starter overall), Lee lined up outside to the boundary in Elko’s man/zone scheme. After going the juco route and spending the 2023 season at Kansas State, he established himself as one of the SEC’s better cornerbacks over the past two seasons — although he did not record an interception in 2025.
A rangy athlete, Lee uses his long arms to jam at the line of scrimmage or play through the hands of receivers. His cover awareness is a strength, but he has too many mistimed moments, which lead to penalties or big plays.
Dane’s takeaway
Lee has more volatility on his tape than is ideal, but he is a long, explosive athlete with the coverage instincts to find the football. The uneven nature of his game might make it tough for him to lock down a starting job, but he should get plenty of chances.
Note: Combine: Limited workout (choice; left hamstring).
Strengths
Tall, broad frame, with lean muscle and long arms
Flashes twitch in lower body to match in press man (earned nickname “The Blanket” in juco)
Quick trigger to blow up slants and underneath patterns
Gets his head turned downfield and locates ball mid-air
Uses large wingspan to get his hands inside and rake ball out (eight-plus passes defended in each of three FBS seasons)
Spunky in press man to establish early contact
Drops pads into ball carriers for cold stops
Team sources say he loves the game and wants to be great
Weaknesses
Wiry with questionable play strength, especially in his lower half
Gives up inside position too easily and grabs to recover
Handsy coverage style leads to inevitable flags (six interference/holding penalties in 2025)
Average burst in transitions
Can get beat over the top and struggles to make up ground
Allowed a 20-plus-yard completion in seven games in 2025
Inconsistent success rate getting off blocks and rallying to the football
Throws his body around but tackling strike zone is erratic
Background
William “Will” Lee III, who has six older sisters, grew up in St. Louis, Mo., and was raised primarily by his father (William Jr.), whom he calls his “best friend.” He was around sports his entire life and was a multisport athlete, including baseball and basketball, throughout childhood. His uncle (Darrell Lee) played defensive end at Florida (2000-03) and signed with the Dallas Cowboys after going undrafted in 2004. Will Lee III started playing football in second grade as a running back (he grew up rooting for former St. Louis Rams running back Steven Jackson). His father, uncle and grandparents moved to Houston when he was in third grade, but he continued to play Little League football in Kirkwood, Mo.
Lee attended Kirkwood High School, the alma mater of his father, uncle and grandparents. He was on varsity all four years as a wide receiver, and he played defensive back as a freshman and sophomore before moving to linebacker as a junior. Lee earned first-team all-state honors as a junior (61 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and four sacks), helping Kirkwood win the 2019 conference title. He again earned all-conference honors as a senior, but the 2020 season was cut short because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Lee also lettered in basketball and track, setting personal bests of 12.14 seconds in the 100-meter dash, 25.14 in the 200, 6 feet in the high jump, 18-8 in the long jump and 42-5.5 in the triple jump.
A three-star recruit, Lee was the 262nd-ranked wide receiver in the 2021 class and the No. 26 recruit in Missouri. He enjoyed playing basketball the most growing up, but his focus started to shift to football when he received his first offer (Iowa). During a basketball game his sophomore year, Lee was noticed by an Iowa assistant coach, who was on campus to recruit Lee’s Kirkwood teammate (Ja’Mori Maclin, who ultimately signed with Missouri). Lee added several other MAC and FCS offers before narrowing down his choice to Ball State, Iowa and Iowa State. However, he wasn’t academically eligible and instead enrolled in junior college.
Lee attended Iowa Western Community College, where he redshirted in 2021 and then helped the program win the 2022 NJCAA national championship. He was named a juco All-American as a redshirt freshman cornerback and was the 37th-ranked juco recruit in the 2023 class. Lee considered offers from Arkansas, Florida State, Iowa, Oregon State and others before committing to Kansas State. He played one season with the Wildcats before entering the transfer portal in November 2023. Considered one of the top defensive backs in the portal, Lee received offers from Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Illinois, LSU, Ole Miss, USC and Washington. But after visiting newly hired head coach Mike Elko at Texas A&M, he committed to the Aggies (being close to his family in Houston was also a strong factor).
Lee graduated with a degree from Texas A&M in agricultural leadership and development in December 2025. He accepted an invitation to the Senior Bowl but pulled out before the event.
Round 5...pick 144
Sam Hecht
Hometown: Shawnee, KS
Birthday: April 3, 2003
Age: 23.1
Jersey: No. 75
High School: Mill Valley
Year: Fifth-year senior
A two-year starter at Kansas State, Hecht lined up at center (right-handed snapper) in former offensive coordinator Matt Wells’ balanced scheme. A high school tackle and undersized walk-on, he worked his way up the depth chart at guard before moving to center, a position he hadn’t played until recently. Hecht started every game the last two seasons — he allowed zero sacks and committed zero penalties as a senior.
Hecht has a firm grasp of his strengths as a player and how to use his talent to get the job done. More strong than powerful, he is quick to engage and sustains well with tight, stubborn hands. He offers range and movement ability to be effective on the move, though his feet get a tad heavy when redirecting to answer defensive pressure. Soft spoken off the field, Hecht is a consistent finisher and hasn’t lost his walk-on work ethic.
Dane’s takeaway
Hecht is a wide-bodied blocker with outstanding instincts and play strength to cover up his man. He is “good enough” in most areas of the position to push for starting reps and offers depth at guard, despite having little experience there.
Strengths
Carries solid mass on wide frame, especially in lower half (added more than 50 pounds in college)
Solid athleticism and has little trouble unlocking body movements
Controlled footwork in setup to get into a balanced position (run and pass)
Enough lateral quickness to work a gap over on stretch or zone
Able to widen his base and use functional strength to fight back against bull rushers
Zero penalties in 2025
Intelligent player who quickly picks up on things
Quiet, head-down, go-to-work mindset (what you would expect from a KSU center)
Developed toughness playing through painful shin splints as a freshman (didn’t want to tell anyone because he was still a walk-on)
Durable — started 25 straight games to finish his college career
Weaknesses
Mediocre length — will have trouble combatting long-armed nose tackles
Able to slide through lateral engagement but loses positioning at times
Average body fluidity when reacting to slanting quickness
Rushes to blocking angles, giving defenders opportunities to adjust
Doesn’t play with drive power to easily uproot his target
99.1 percent of college snaps came at center; lacks ideal on-field experience at guard
2021 Redshirted; walked on
2023 Put on scholarship after 2023 season
2024 Second Team All-Big 12
2025 First Team All-Big 12
Background
Samuel “Sam” Hecht, the youngest of four boys, grew up just outside of Kansas City, Kan., with his parents (Jon and Shelley). He was introduced to football by his older brother (Ben), an all-state offensive lineman at Mill Valley High School who then played for head coach Chris Klieman at North Dakota State (2016-18). Sam Hecht started playing organized football in the first grade with his elementary school friends, and that group played together through high school. He also played baseball, basketball and soccer. Hecht and his fiancée (Grace Moser), a Kansas State alum, are planning to get married in June 2026.
Hecht attended Mill Valley High School in Shawnee, Kan., where he was a three-year letterman as an offensive tackle. He moved up to varsity as a sophomore and was part of a deep offensive line rotation. As a junior left tackle, Hecht earned second-team all-state honors and helped Mill Valley capture the 2019 Class 5A state championship with an 11-3 record (started 1-3 before finishing with 10 straight wins). As a senior in 2020, he led Mill Valley to its second straight state title and a 9-2 record. Hecht was named first-team all-state at left tackle in his final season.
A no-star recruit, Hecht wasn’t ranked by 247 Sports Composite in the 2021 class. As a 245-pound offensive lineman, he went overlooked as an FBS recruit. Hecht received his first FCS offer (Illinois State) in March 2020, followed by offers from Abilene Christian, Eastern Illinois, South Dakota State and several Ivy League schools (Brown, Penn, Princeton, Yale). Kent State started to show interest, and Missouri offered a preferred walk-on spot, but Hecht knew where he was headed when Kansas State offered him a walk-on opportunity. His offensive line coach at Mill Valley (Terrale Johnson, who died in 2024) was an offensive lineman at Kansas State (2014-16). Hecht was also familiar with Klieman and offensive line coach Conor Riley, who coached Hecht’s brother at North Dakota State. (Riley left the Wildcats after the 2024 season to become offensive line coach for the Dallas Cowboys.)
After three seasons as a walk-on, Hecht was put on scholarship and became a starter his final two seasons. He moved to guard when he arrived in Manhattan, then to center as an upperclassman. Hecht is a three-time Academic All-Big 12 recipient and was a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy. He accepted an invitation to the Senior Bowl.
Traded up for pick 151 and picked......
Zakee Wheatley
Hometown: Crofton, MD
Birthday: February 28, 2002
Age: 24.2
Jersey: No. 6
High School: Archbishop Spalding
Year: Fifth-year senior
A two-year starter at Penn State, Wheatley was a boundary safety in former defensive coordinator Jim Knowles’ scheme, splitting his snaps between the box and one- or two-high looks. After a productive 2024 season, he entered this past season as my top-ranked senior safety prospect and was one of the more consistent parts of the Penn State defense, despite a decrease in his ball production.
A lean, stretched-out athlete, Wheatley needs to be more consistent with his run-fit angles and finishing skills, but he is a willing run defender with a decisive downhill trigger. In coverage, he plays with balance and ball skills with a solid feel for route concepts, although on-ball production is missing from his 2025 tape.
Dane’s takeaway
Wheatley is an alert, fluid athlete who can be versatile in the passing game and productive as a key-and-drive defender. He has starting potential in a zone scheme, preferably with a two-high foundation but also offers nickel and dime flexibility.
Strengths
Tall, long frame with adequate definition and room to add more mass
Balanced, fluid athlete who has ankle flexion and lower-body agility
Marginal top-end speed but good closing burst when closing ground
Improved feel for route development and spacing in zone coverage
Plays with body control and ball skills of a wide receiver around the catch point (see his one-handed interception vs. 2025 Iowa)
Physical tackler — drops his shoulder into the lower half of the ball carrier
Creates knockback when attacking screen/perimeter blocks
Didn’t commit a penalty in college
Described as “high energy” — NFL scouts say his work ethic and leadership behind the scenes matured each year
Weaknesses
Mediocre take-on and tackling strength as a finisher
Flies downhill in run support but often sacrifices technique, leading to ankle-biting or fly-by attempts
Gets pinballed by blockers when aligned at the line
Lacks ideal long speed for the position
More comfortable in zone than man; not proven when stressed vertically one-on-one
Ball production declined in 2025 (only pass breakup came versus FIU)
Didn’t play on special teams (aside from field goal blocks) as a junior and senior
2021 Redshirted; enrolled May 2021
2024 Led team in INT and PD
2025 Honorable Mention All-Big Ten; missed bowl game (opt-out)
Background
Zakee (Zack-KEY) Kai Wheatley, who has a younger brother (Zarek) and younger sister (Kyrah), grew up in Crofton, Md., with his parents (Zakee Sr. and Kasia). His father remarried (Lynette) in 2018, and Zakee gained four step-siblings (Robert, Alex, Erik and Celisse).
Wheatley was an avid athlete throughout childhood, playing baseball, basketball and football. He started playing defensive back at the 9U level in Pop Warner and later suited up for the Columbia Ravens (his father helped coach) in Howard County, Md. Wheatley played 7-on-7 football in high school for the Charm City Elite National team.
Wheatley attended Archbishop Spalding High School, a private Catholic school in Severn, Md. After playing mostly on the JV squad as a freshman, he moved up to varsity, where he played both ways as a wide receiver (20 catches, 366 yards, four touchdowns) and defensive back (11 tackles, one interception). Wheatley had his most productive season as a junior and was named all-city and all-county. He led Archbishop Spalding to the 2019 Class A state playoffs and finished his junior season with 28 tackles and three interceptions, adding 56 receptions for 803 yards and seven touchdowns. His senior season was cut down to only two games because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but Wheatley finished with 10 tackles and two interceptions. He also played baseball as a freshman (pitcher and center fielder) and lettered twice in basketball.
A three-star recruit, Wheatley was the 24th-ranked safety in the 2021 class and the No. 15 recruit in Maryland. His sophomore season put him on the recruiting map, and he received his first offer (Liberty) in May 2019. Wheatley added offers from several programs in the ACC (Boston College, Pittsburgh, Virginia, Virginia Tech) and Big Ten (Maryland, Michigan State, Northwestern, Penn State). He also received late interest from Notre Dame, but Wheatley was set on Penn State and officially committed in April 2020. He was the 11th-ranked recruit in head coach James Franklin’s 2021 class. Wheatley started out as a cornerback for the Nittany Lions during a redshirt year in 2021 before moving to safety in 2022.
He graduated with a degree in telecommunications (December 2025). Wheatley opted out of the Nittany Lions’ bowl game and accepted an invitation to the Senior Bowl.
This post was last modified: 04-25-2026, 02:37 PM by Ladypanther.
