CFB Zeitgeist Score
54
Mid-pack in the position cohort. Carried by qb hurries at the 82nd percentile.
Zakee Wheatley
Below the discourse floor — the honest stats-only state.
74 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Where He Ended Up · NFL
Carolina2026 NFL rookie season
#151Rd 5 · Pick 11
Carolina2026 NFL rookie season
S · PENN STATE · BIG TEN
Zakee Wheatley
- 4
- #6
- 6-2 | 200 lb
- Crofton, MD
Heisman Heat
#5071
<1% win probability
Fan Belief
Awaiting
Player-specific FI not yet ingested. Falls back to team mood below.
Respect Gap
Awaiting
Coming online with player-level FI.
Reality Gap
Awaiting
Coming online with player-level FI.
ACCOLADE PROBABILITY
Heisman
<1%
TOP DB AWARD
Jim Thorpe
—
CONSENSUS
All-American
—
Player Standing · 17 rungs
Tier 2 · StarterR07 · Impact starter
Impact starter. Producing measurable value above replacement.
Not on team2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career Arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★
CFB
College
Penn State
NFL
NFL Draft
R5 · #151
Identity & Role
The durable bio layer: position, size, hometown, and roster role.
Recruiting Pedigree
How big the prospect was before college, and whether the later career arc beat that expectation.
| Class | Profile | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4-star | 0.8962 | No. 350 recruit | HighSchool | Penn State |
Transfer Arc
Portal movement changes role, context, and perception. This keeps that path in one place.
| Season | Move | Context |
|---|---|---|
| No transfer portal moves on file for this player. | ||
Heisman Lens · 2024 Season · Final
Where the player landed at the end of the listed season — final nowcast rank, win/finalist/ballot probabilities, and the cleanest official Heisman placement on file.
HIGH CONFIDENCE· through week 16Heisman Futures
Not yet listed on major futures markets.
No achievements unlocked yet this season.
Selector Grid · 2025
AP—
FWAA—
AFCA—
WCFF—
SN—
SI—
Selector recognition fills in once the major honors lists (AP, FWAA, AFCA, Walter Camp, Sporting News, SI) are scraped and ingested.
NIL · Recruiting · NFL Draft
Market value, pedigree & pro outcome
Recruit stars
★★★★☆
to Penn State
Composite
0.8962
#350 national
NFL Draft
2026 · Rd 5, Pick 11
#151 overall · Carolina
Today’s Hot-Take
The Hot-Take engine fires when this player’s percentile profile crosses a defensible threshold (top 10% in a cohort, 100+ snap sample). When it’s quiet, the model is honoring its “must be defensible” rule.
Anti-Take
PENDINGThe contrarian read fires when the rules-engine detects a stat that complicates the Hot-Take. Quiet here means the model hasn’t found a defensible counter yet — not that one doesn’t exist.
The Room on Zakee Wheatley
Fan sentiment · Awaiting signal
The Room reads fan conversation around a player — who’s talking, what they believe, and how that shifts. It publishes once weekly volume rebuilds; for most players that’s in-season, when game-week chatter spikes.
Cohort divergence map
Cohort divergence reads how different fanbases talk about this player. Returns once weekly mentions clear the publish floor.
Rival Radar
How rival fanbases talk about Zakee Wheatley
No rival-bucket mentions in the current season.
Signature Story
Awaiting candidate metric
He hasn't written his page yet — we'll start filling it in when there are enough snaps to rank against his peers.
Signature Moment
No signature moment on the ledger yet.
Returns once this player puts together a multi-game body of work — single-game flashes alone don't clear the bar.
Season Pace · Projection
Where the defensive totals stand
Through 12g
74Tackles
2Tackles for loss
0Sacks
Per game
6Tackles
0.2Tackles for loss
0Sacks
Projected (13g)
80Tackles
2.2Tackles for loss
0Sacks
To hit 80-tackle season (currently 74): needs 6/game over remaining 1.
To hit 100-tackle season (currently 74): needs 26/game over remaining 1.
To hit 6-sack season (currently 0): needs 6/game over remaining 1.
To hit 10-sack season (currently 0): needs 10/game over remaining 1.
Why this is a rare defensive case
The fast read on the thing that makes this player more than a generic stat line.
Zakee Wheatley is trying to climb the steepest award hill in college football: a defensive candidacy. The hook is the disruption profile on Penn State's defense, with 0.0 sacks, 2.0 tackles for loss, and 1 interceptions through the current loaded season. For a defender, the question is never just production; it is whether elite disruption and team context can become nationally undeniable.
2025 Season · Final
Traditional stats first. Advanced context underneath.
Last season
DEF season snapshot
2025 season snapshot | final
2025 season snapshot | finalData: CFBD player stats + local Heisman modelPeer context: same position + same level
Player identity What kind of player is this?
30-second read
What kind of player is this?
High-volume tackler against FBS defenders.
2025 Season · Final
2025 season snapshot | final
Tackling & Disruption
TOT
74 96th
SOLO
51 99th
TFL
2.0 71st
SACK
0.0 65th
QBH
3 75th
Coverage & Takeaways
PD
1 43rd
INT
1 65th
Game Log · Week-by-week
2025 season · 12 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 46-11vs Nevada | 3 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | W 34-0vs Florida International | 3 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 | |
| Wk 3 | W 52-6vs Villanova | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 5 | L 24-30vs Oregon | 10 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 6 | L 37-42@ UCLA | 12 | 9 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 12 tackles |
| Wk 7 | L 21-22vs Northwestern | 9 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 8 | L 24-25@ Iowa | 10 | 9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Wk 10 | L 14-38@ Ohio State | 7 | 6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 11 | L 24-27vs Indiana | 5 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 12 | W 28-10@ Michigan State | 3 | 2 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 13 | W 37-10vs Nebraska | 2 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 14 | W 40-36@ Rutgers | 8 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 74 | 51 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 1 |
Season-by-season tables Career rows + per-season box score
Traditional history
Traditional Stats
Season rows up top, career context at the bottom.
Season context · Team result + system
2021Penn State7-5HC: James Franklin · Balanced
2022Penn State11-2HC: James Franklin · Run-leaning
2023Penn State10-3HC: James Franklin · Run-leaning
2025Penn State7-6HC: James Franklin · Run-leaning
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Penn State | 74 | 51 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | -- |
| 2023 | Penn State | 24 | 14 | 0.5 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2022 | Penn State | 24 | 20 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 2 | -- |
| 2021 | Penn State | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 4 loaded seasons | 124 | 86 | 2.5 | 0.0 | 2 | 3 | -- |
Advanced layer Usage, value, and context
Advanced metrics second
Advanced Metrics
Usage, value, and opponent-adjusted context.
TFL, sacks, and QB hurries are grouped together because defensive Heisman cases are usually built on visible havoc, not on tackle counts alone.
Pass breakups, interceptions, and forced fumbles matter because national awards voters respond to plays that change possessions and highlight reels.
Every percentile is compared against players at the same position and level, so an FBS quarterback is judged against FBS quarterbacks, not the whole sport.
The top tables stick to the stats fans already know from broadcasts and box scores. Advanced context is pushed underneath instead of replacing the basics.
Open full stat explorer
| Group | Metric | Value | Rank | Pct | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Defense | Total tackles | 74 | #216/4942 | 96th pct | Volumevs FBS DEF |
| Defense | TFL | 2.0 | #1443/4972 | 71st pct | Disruptionvs FBS DEF |
| Defense | Sacks | 0.0 | #1762/4972 | 65th pct | Disruptionvs FBS DEF |
| Defense | Interceptions | 1 | #308/869 | 65th pct | Takeawaysvs FBS DEF |
| Defense | Pass breakups | 1 | #1241/2184 | 43rd pct | Coveragevs FBS DEF |
| Defense | QB hurries | 3 | #462/1878 | 75th pct | Disruptionvs FBS DEF |
| Defense | Solo tackles | 51 | #61/4584 | 99th pct | Volumevs FBS DEF |
| Defense | INT return avg | 2.0 | #512/578 | 12th pct | Takeawaysvs FBS DEF |
| Defense | INT return yards | 2 | #527/578 | 9th pct | Takeawaysvs FBS DEF |
| Defense | Fumbles recovered | 1 | #103/736 | 86th pct | Takeawaysvs FBS DEF |
| Ball Security | Fumbles lost | 0 | #1/773 | 100th pct | Turnoversvs FBS DEF |
Player Standing
Universal 17-step ladder. Tier pills below; accolade streams nested.
AWAITING CLASSIFICATION
On-team2-deepStartingRecognizedEliteApex
AWAITING CLASSIFICATION · Rung None of 16
Why he’s here
Standing classification populates when honors, Heisman, and roster signals all align.
What moves him up
What moves him down
Accolade streams
Status—Awaiting tracker
The Thorpe award tracker integrates per-week probability once a dedicated scraper for this award lands. Confirmed past winners and finalists for this player will surface here.
Splits · Per-game
2025 season · 12 games
Home vs Road
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home7g | 4.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 |
| Road5g | 8.0 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Win vs Loss
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wins6g | 3.5 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.2 |
| Losses6g | 8.8 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
First half vs Second half
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-76g | 6.5 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.2 |
| Weeks 8+6g | 5.8 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Pocket and defense-quality (clean vs. pressure) splits are coming soon.
Savant · Box-rate percentiles
Where this profile ranks vs the S cohort
54Mid-pack
Elite: solo tackles (97th). Strength: tackles (92nd). Concern: sacks (23rd).
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Advanced Savant · S · 2024
Percentile Card
Advanced opponent-adjusted percentile bars are coming soon for this player.
P4G5All FBS
Advanced Savant
Opponent-adjusted advanced metrics with a cohort filter.
Advanced opponent-adjusted metrics are coming soon for this player. Selected cohort: P4.
Peer Comparator · Fingerprint match
Three closest profiles by box-rate percentile
Zakee WheatleyPenn StateBlake FletcherAir Force· 88% simRobert FitzgeraldNorthwestern· 79% simTrey FieldsNorth Texas· 78% sim
Solo tackles
Tackles
QB hurries
Passes defended
Forced fumbles
Tackles for loss
Interceptions
Sacks
Closest peers by overall box-score percentile profile at the same position.
Player DNA
The Box Safety
Lives near the line of scrimmage as a de facto extra linebacker.
S
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Jake Jarmolowich’s 2025 season.
Jake Jarmolowich
96%match
#2
Key Lawrence
85%
#3
Tavian Combs
84%
#4
Reed Blankenship
All-Conference USA
82%
#5
Isaac Gifford
82%
Matches Jake on
Class year
Height
Weight
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a graduate, his production profile tracks closest to Isaac Gifford's graduate season at Nebraska (2024).
Isaac Gifford
88%match
#2
Wayne Matthews III
All-Sun Belt
85%
#3
Shammond Cooper
83%
#4
Tavian Combs
83%
#5
Reid Carrico
82%
Matches Isaac on
Class year
PD rate
Tackle volume
Supporting Cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
James Franklin
Pass share
42.0%
339 pass / 469 run
Plays / game
62.2
13 games
OL sack rate (allowed)
7.4%
230 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-leaning.
Coaching Lineage · 2021–2025
1 coach2021
James Franklin
Penn State
2022
James Franklin
Penn State
2023
James Franklin
Penn State
2025
James Franklin
Penn State
Played his entire career under James Franklin.
Bio · Recruiting · Transfer · Roster
Off-field context — switch tabs to drill into recruit profile, transfer arc, or roster timeline.
HometownCrofton, MD
Height6'2"
Weight200 lb
Class4
PositionS
Jersey6
No fields populated yet.
No fields populated yet.
Current teamPenn State
ConferenceBig Ten
Joined2025
Career arc5 season(s)
Trophy Case · Detail
Every honor on the ledger, broken out by stream and selector.
No formal honors on the ledger yet
All-America, all-conference, player-of-the-week, watch-list, and postseason awards land here when they're earned. The absence is the signal: most players never collect formal honors, and that's its own kind of context.
Honors Timeline
Season-end distinction and week-by-week recognition on one timeline.
| Season | Honor | Scope | Team / Selector | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No formal honors on the ledger yet. All-America, all-conference, weekly awards, watch lists, and postseason trophies land here when they’re earned. | ||||
Heisman By Year
Modeled rank and official finish by season.
| Season | Team | Role | Latest Model | Forecast | Win | Finalist | Official Finish | Points | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Penn State | S4 | #5071 | #4641 | 0.0% | 0.0% | -- | -- | W16 snapshot | Big Ten |
| 2023 | Penn State | S4 | #5506 | #5280 | 0.0% | 0.0% | -- | -- | W19 snapshot | Big Ten |
| 2022 | Penn State | S4 | #4616 | #4618 | 0.0% | 0.0% | -- | -- | W20 snapshot | Big Ten |
| 2021 | Penn State | S4 | #8345 | #7951 | 0.0% | 0.0% | -- | -- | W20 snapshot | Big Ten |
Roster Timeline
Team, conference, and class by season.
| Season | Team | Conference | Pos | Class | Bio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Penn State | Big Ten | S | 4 | No. 6 | 6-2 | 200 lb | Crofton, MD |
| 2024 | Penn State | Big Ten | S | 4 | No. 6 | 6-2 | 200 lb | Crofton, MD |
| 2023 | Penn State | Big Ten | S | 4 | No. 6 | 6-2 | 200 lb | Crofton, MD |
| 2022 | Penn State | Big Ten | S | 4 | No. 6 | 6-2 | 200 lb | Crofton, MD |
| 2021 | Penn State | Big Ten | S | 4 | No. 6 | 6-2 | 200 lb | Crofton, MD |