CAREER NOTES & RECORDS
Career: Has a hand nine takeaways (5 interceptions, 2 fumble recoveries, 2 forced fumbles).
Bowl/CFP: Posted 16 tackles in the Orange Bowl against Notre Dame (1/9/25), tied for the third-most ever recorded by a Penn State player in a bowl/CFP game with Kurt Allerman in the 1976 Gator Bowl...It marked the most tackles by a Nittany Lion in a bowl/CFP game since Lance Mehl posted 17 stops in the 1979 Sugar Bowl...Became the fifth Nittany Lion ever to record 15-or-more tackles in a Bowl/CFP game.
2024 • REDSHIRT JUNIOR SEASON
Awards: Voted All-Big Ten honorable mention by the media.
Season: Started all 16 games at safety...Finished with 96 tackles (58 solo), 2.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions, a forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and four pass breakups...Named coaching staff's Defensive Player of the Game (vs. Boise State - 12/31).
Rankings: Finished tied for sixth in the Big Ten in interceptions (3).
at West Virginia (8/31): Made four tackles (3 solo)...Added a tackle for loss. Bowling Green (9/7): Picked off a pass in the fourth quarter...Recorded five tackles in the first half and finished the game with six stops...Added a pass breakup. Kent State (9/21): Notched one tackle and a pass breakup. Illinois (9/28): Made five stops (3 solo). UCLA (10/5): Recorded seven tackles, including five in the first half...Notched a solo tackle for loss in the first quarter. at USC (10/12): Made four tackles (3 solo). at Wisconsin (10/26): Posted a career-high 10 tackles, including eight solo...Had five stops in each half. Ohio State (11/2): Recorded nine tackles, including eight solo...Forced a fumble at the 2-yard line to prevent a touchdown in the second quarter. Washington (11/9): Made six tackles, including five solo. at Purdue (11/16): Registered two solo tackles. at Minnesota (11/23): Collected four tackles...Recovered a fumble in the fourth quarter, his first career recovery. Maryland (11/30): Assisted on two tackles. Oregon (12/7): Amassed nine total tackles (4 solo). SMU (12/22): Posted seven tackles (3 solo)...Broke up a pass. vs. Boise State (12/31): Tallied three tackles...Recovered a fumble in the first quarter...Intercepted a pass and returned it 28 yards in the fourth quarter...Selected Fiesta Bowl Defensive Player of the Game. vs. Notre Dame (1/9): Finished with a career-high 16 tackles (9 solo) to go along with a solo sack and an interception...The intercepted pass came in the first quarter. It was his fifth career interception and third interception this season...Solo sack in the second quarter was the first of his career.
2023 • REDSHIRT SOPHOMORE SEASON
Season: Appeared in 13 games...Finished with 24 tackles (14 solo) and a half-tackle for loss.
West Virginia (9/2): Posted four solo tackles. at Illinois (9/16): Led the team with a career-high six tackles. Iowa (9/23): Made two solo tackles. at Northwestern (9/30): Tallied a solo stop. UMass (10/14): Posted two tackles. at Ohio State (10/21): Made three tackles and assisted on a tackle for loss. at Maryland (11/4): Assisted on a tackle. Michigan (11/11): Made a solo tackle. vs. Ole Miss (12/30): Recorded four tackles (2 solo).
2022 • REDSHIRT FRESHMAN SEASON
Season: Appeared in 12 games...Had a hand in three takeaways (2 interceptions, 1 forced fumble)...Tallied 27 tackles (21 solo), one pass breakup, one forced fumble and two interceptions.
at Purdue (9/1): Forced his first career fumble, late in the first half that halted a Purdue scoring drive...Added two solo tackles. Ohio (9/10): Assisted on a tackle. at Auburn (9/17): Recorded his first career interception in the first quarter...Added two tackles. Central Michigan (9/24): Intercepted a pass for the second-straight game, this one in the first quarter and returned it 34 yards...Had five tackles (4 solo). Northwestern (10/1): Made three solo stops. at Michigan (10/15): Racked up four tackles (3 solo). Minnesota (10/22): Picked up a solo tackle. Ohio State (10/29): Made a solo tackle...Tallied the first pass breakup of his career. at Indiana (11/5): Recorded two solo tackles. Maryland (11/12): Posted a solo tackle. at Rutgers (11/19): Picked up a solo stop. Michigan State (11/26): Made a solo tackle. vs. Utah (1/2): Totaled three tackles.
2021 • TRUE FRESHMAN SEASON
Redshirt season...Appeared in four games...Named the coaching staff's Developmental Squad Special Teams Player of the Week twice (Iowa,10/9; Ohio State, 10/30)...Earned the coaching staff's Developmental Squad Defensive Player of the Week (Illinois, 10/23).
HIGH SCHOOL
Three-year letterman for head coach Kyle Schmitt at Archbishop Spalding High School...Team was limited to two games in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic...Tallied two touchdowns and two interceptions in the two games...Claimed all-city and all-county accolades in 2019 as a junior...Was a Big 33 Game selection...Tallied five interceptions, seven pass breakups and 30 tackles as a junior...Additionally hauled in 56 receptions for 810 yards and seven touchdowns during junior campaign...Made two interceptions as a sophomore while making 20 grabs for 366 yards and five scores...Rated the No. 321 recruit nationally, No. 22 at his position and No. 15 in Maryland by 247Sports...Ranked as the No. 276 overall prospect, No. 51 at his position, No. 38 recruit in the region and No. 16 prospect in Maryland by ESPN...Tabbed as the No. 21 player at his position and No. 10 player in Maryland by Rivals....Lettered in basketball twice, playing guard and small forward...Also played baseball as a freshman, pitching and playing center field.
PERSONAL
Full name is Zakee Kai Wheatley...Son of Zakee and Kasia Wheatley...Stepmother is Lynette Wheatley...One of seven siblings...Has four brothers, Robert Glover, Alex Glover, Erik Glover and Zarek Wheatley, and two sisters, Kyrah Wheatley and Celisse Glover...Is a frequent volunteer at Happy Helpers...Planning on majoring in business...Would like to get his MBA and be a top-level executive.