Penn State is red hot on the recruiting trail right now. Rivals250 defensive back Jaylen Reed committed to the Nittany Lions yesterday, brothers Kobe King and Kalen King announced their commitments to Penn State today, and now Rivals250 safety Zakee Wheatley has also committed to Penn State. The Severn (Md.) Archbishop Spalding star has been a frequent visitor at Penn State and now he’s decided to spend his college career in Happy Valley.
IN HIS OWN WORDS...
“I’ve been up to Penn State multiple times and I have great relationship with coach Franklin and the whole coaching staff,” Wheatley said. “We really connected. They have great football. The coaches talked about where they see me and how they see me coming in.
“They want to use me on defense, either cornerback or safety because of my length, and just see how I play on defense,” he said. “I’ll be working with coach Pry, coach Smith, and coach Banks.
“I see the trajectory of the program,” said Wheatley. “Penn State always plays great football. We're going to continue to build on that.
“Landon (Tengwall) definitely hit me up to tell me about what he liked about Penn State and why he thinks I should go there too,” he said. “I see a lot of people committing and a lot of people were trying to recruit me as well. I'm definitely going to try to recruit guys I think can help. One of the guys around the area that I'm going to recruit is, of course, Caleb Williams but I’m also going after Dont'e (Thornton), Kaden (Prather), and Jalil (Farooq).
RIVALS' REACTION...
Wheatley is a great addition for Penn State and fits exactly what they’re looking for in the secondary. He is a long, athletic prospect with good ball skills and great instincts. Wheatley was getting recruited on both sides of the ball but admits he likes playing safety the most. Look for the strength and conditioning staff to help Wheatley fill out his frame and make him an even more explosive player. As he gains more experience in Penn State’s defensive system, expect the coaches to move him around the formation to create mismatches and confusion for the offense. Maryland and Virginia were the other two schools that Wheatley was strongly considering.
