Wheatley has been the talk of Penn State offseason

PennLive.com via Trib Total Media

Penn State’s coaching staff identified Zakee Wheatley as a potential playmaker prior to the 2022 season.

The reserve safety intercepted a pair of passes and forced a fumble that year, but his opportunities were minimal last season.

This year is different. The breakout opportunity is real for the fourth-year Nittany Lion. Wheatley is projected as a starter in Penn State’s three-safety look, a scheme new defensive coordinator Tom Allen prefers.

Kevin Winston Jr. and Jaylen Reed, returning starters at the position, are two of the leaders on the Penn State defense.

Reed said last month he expects to move to the Allen’s “Lion” position — and play as a hybrid safety-corner — when Wheatley is in the game.

“Once he came in and discussed his philosophy, his goals and we had our individual meetings, he told me that he likes three safeties on the field,” the 6-foot-2, 200-pound Wheatley said Saturday when asked about connecting with Allen early in the offseason.

“Immediately, it kind of clicked. … Once we started doing walk-throughs and I started seeing how I felt with J-Reed and KJ on the field beside me, I just felt like (Allen) got more confident, as well, just seeing us on the field. It got real fun out there.”

Wheatley has appeared in 25 games the last two seasons. He is considered one of Penn State’s top coverage defenders.

“I think those three young men are as good a group of safeties as you’re going to have in the country,” Allen said last Saturday.

“In today’s game, the way the offenses have evolved and the way they spread the field out, the teams we’ve added from the West Coast, with Wisconsin going to the Air Raid offense, just the way the Big Ten has changed here the last few years, it’s going to be very necessary for us to match that.”

Allen added: “Having multiple guys at the safety position … having guys that are athletic that can play in space and make tackles in space, I think those three guys all fit the bill.”

Wheatley said his game has evolved in large part due to the guidance of position coach Anthony Poindexter, a two-time All-American at Virginia and a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

“There’s definitely more parts of my game than just catching (interceptions),” Wheatley said.

“I feel like I’m a well-rounded tackler, I feel like I can read offenses, and I feel like when the ball is in the air, it’s definitely a strong suit of mine, maybe my strongest suit.”

“He’s made me better in a ton of different ways,” Wheatley continued, referring to Poindexter. “Even the little things, my approach to the defense and being in meetings with him every day. It’s him setting the standard.

“He’s directing the safety group. He set the whole mental approach, how we go out on the field and how we’re not going to get blocked, we don’t go on our back, and we don’t get pushed out of bounds. It’s the standard that he’s set, and that’s made me better.”

The play of Penn State’s top three safeties on the practice field has also had an impact on second-year tight end Andrew Rappleyea, who should see more work in the Lions’ multiple tight end sets.

“I love getting my matchups with Zakee Wheatley, J-Reed and KJ Winston, those are my guys,” Rappleyea said Saturday.

“I’m excited for them, they’re all good players. They’re great in coverage, crashing down in the run game.”

“That (safety) rotation will be very important to us, having those three guys,” Allen said.

“Zakee’s probably made the biggest growth from last year to this year. He’s had a tremendous offseason.”