With the 151st pick, the Carolina Panthers selected Zakee Wheatley, a safety out of Penn State, trading picks 158 and 200 to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for 151 and a 7th rounder (227).
Photo: Nittany Sports Now
Penn State safety Zakee Wheatley has been drafted 151st overall by the Carolina Panthers.
@PennStateFball insider @JackRachinsky has all you need to know about the safety:
https://t.co/D1QjzH49fo
Congrats Zakee Wheatley ’21!
Selected by the Carolina Panthers in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft!
Zakee becomes the second Cavalier ever drafted into the NFL and will join fellow Spalding alumni Mansoor Delane ’22 (drafted Thursday night) and Julius Chestnut ’18 (Titans - Undrafted free agent) on an NFL roster!
#GoCavs #CavsInNFL @ZakeeWheatley@SpaldingFB
ESPN lists Zion Elee as Maryland football’s player to watch:
“Assuming Elee, who enrolled early to participate in spring ball, is ready to play immediately, he could team with Stewart and Mathis to give the Terrapins one of the top young pass-rushing trips in the country.”
Mansoor Delane (5’11 191) LSU
+ Has played over 2,400 career snaps
+ Physical in run support
+ Just a 38.2% completion rate allowed against in 2025
+ 91.0 coverage grade
+ Competitive at the catch point
+ 8 career interceptions
+ Coverage instincts
+ 74.4 run defense grade
- Lacks elite size for the position
- 30” arm length
- 4 penalties in 2024 (0 in 2025)
- Solid run defender but could wrap up more consistently when tackling
Draft projection: Top 15