Through six weeks, a Carolina Panthers rookie is almost at the very top of the class at his position.
Pro Football Focus currently has safety Zakee Wheatley at an 89.8 overall defensive grade for the 2026 campaign. That mark ranks second amongst all NFL safeties, behind only Green Bay's Evan Williams.
The rookie safeties are showing out this year 🤩 pic.twitter.com/2MTa2Uhrcn
— PFF (@PFF) October 20, 2026
The Panthers selected Wheatley, a Penn State standout, in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. After being a healthy scratch in the team's regular-season opener, he's made three starts over four games—amassing 18 combined tackles, a forced fumble and two pass deflections.
Wheatley is fresh off recording a career-high 52 defensive snaps in Carolina's Week 6 matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles. He was given an 85.7 overall defensive mark by PFF, the highest for a Panthers defender from the 25-14 victory.
His cumulative 89.8 grade on the year also leads the entire unit heading into Week 7.
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers rookie is PFF's 2nd-highest graded player at his position