It has only been six weeks, but one thing that is already clear is that fifth-round rookie Zakee Wheatley has already proven he belongs in the NFL. With three starts under his belt, Wheatley has already proven to be one of the biggest steals in the 2026 NFL Draft, according to Justin Melo of Sports Illustrated.
“Wheatley forced a fumble on his first NFL snap and hasn’t really looked back,” wrote Melo. “He’s been credited with allowing just 39 receiving yards in coverage and has two pass breakups. The ex Nittany Lions defender has been solid in coverage, and he’s very disciplined and willing when coming downhill to tackle.”
Wheatley has 18 tackles, two passes defensed, and a forced fumble.
Carolina Panthers Have a 2026 Draft Steal in Zakee Wheatley
Despite the hot start, Wheatley has maintained a humble demeanor. The fifth-round rookie noted that he has heard about the talk around him and that he has seen his PFF grades. However, his focus is blocking out the noise.
“I’m really just trying to get better every day and not look at that,” said Wheatley. “Whether it’s good noise, bad noise, keep my head down and keep working and keep getting better.“
Wheatley has an 89.8 PFF grade, which is elite.
However, the rookie not focusing on that is exactly the type of person that second-team All-Pro linebacker Devin Lloyd sees that makes Wheatley so great. Lloyd noted that he is humble off the field, but plays with a chip on his shoulder on the field.
“The person he is, real humble, great teammate, great person to have in the locker room,” said Lloyd. “He has a chip on his shoulder, which is great.”
Among the positives: “He’s got a chip on his shoulder, which is great.”
He noted that what impresses him most is that he is so good at communicating. That is hard to do in the NFL at all, let alone for a rookie.
“Really good at communicating, knowing where he needs to be, what he needs to say to whoever he needs to say it to,” said Lloyd on the confidence Wheatley brings. “Continuing to master the scheme allows him to be in the right position. When you have that then you let your ability take over and make the plays and be the player that he is.”
Wheatley did not take a defensive snap in Week 1, but has started to become a mainstay on defense.
Wheatley is Unlocking Panthers Defense
The team has been able to put veteran safety Trevon Moehrig into the slot due to the addition of Wheatley. The Panthers play Wheatley and Nick Scott at safety, which puts Moehrig in much more of a versatile role.
The Panthers can now use him like the Chargers use Derwin James or the Baltimore Ravens use Kyle Hamilton. It makes him much more valuable. So, the addition actually improves two positions.
This has allowed the Panthers’ defense to survive a lot of injuries at cornerback and on the defensive line.
Panthers Rookie Earns Recognition After Hot Start