The Denver Broncos will be utilizing the 2026 NFL Draft to round out any remaining depth holes on their roster. Virtually every starter on both sides of the ball is slated to return for next season. That leaves very little competition for starting spots over the course of training camp.
One position they may look to add depth to is safety. While their starting safety of Talanoa Hufanga and Brandon Jones is one of the NFL’s best, Jones and several other players are scheduled to be free agents at the end of next year. With that in mind and new defensive backs coach Doug Belk in the coaching ranks, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see one of their seven selections on a safety with starting potential.
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A prospect I feel would be a good fit for Denver is Penn State’s Zakee Wheatley. A fifth-year senior, the former Nittany Lion has imposing size and made a lot of big plays over his collegiate career. Let’s take a deeper dive into Wheatley, his strengths and weaknesses, and when the Broncos should consider selecting him in April.
Player Profile: Zakee Wheatley — Safety — Penn State
Height: 6’3” | Weight: 203 pounds | Arm Length: 31” | Hand Size: 9-1/2” | Age: 24 Years Old
40-yard dash: 4.64 seconds | 10-yard split: 1.61 seconds | Vertical: 33” | Broad Jump: 10’-3”
Statistics at Penn State: 58 games played, 28 starts with 223 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 6 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles.
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Hart’s Scouting Report
Positives:
Possesses great size and length for the position
Highly productive player with a lot of experience registering over 2,100 defensive snaps
Utilized primarily as a single-high or split-field safety, but also offers box and slot versatility
At his best as a single-high defender getting to read and roam the field
Good anticipation when the ball is air and is quick to click-and-close on opposing offensive players
Comes from a collegiate program known for sending quality NFL defensive backs to the NFL
Health and durability are not a concern
Negatives:
On the older end for prospects and will be a 24-year-old rookie
Not a premier athlete or as physical as coaches will covet at the position
Hasn’t been utilized much as a blitzer from any alignment and struggles to combat the run the closer he is deployed to the line of scrimmage
Despite generating turnovers, allowed nearly 66-percent of throws his way to be completed at Penn State
Back-to-back seasons with over a 15-percent missed tackle rate is alarming
Hart’s Projection: Top 125 Selection (Early Day 3 Grade)
Why the Denver Broncos should consider drafting Wheatley
The Broncos’ defensive backfield is mostly set in stone for the 2026 season. However, they could certainly use some help long-term at safety. With Jones scheduled to hit free agency, finding a player who can offset his potential loss with a similar skillset would be wise to consider.
There is a lot to like about Wheatley. His traits and production standout and merit mid-to-late Day 2 consideration. Alas, his lack of physicality, age, and issues with tackling may cause him to tumble down the board a bit further than he hopes. His best fit at the next level is as a deep or split-field safety who uses his coverage skills and range to make plays on the ball.
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This year’s safety class has a lot of good prospects. Scheme fit means a everything for defensive backs and NFL teams may value other prospects who have a bit more physicality and well-roundedness to his game. Nevertheless, Wheatley’s productivity and coverage skills will be a plus in his favor for teams looking at add size and range to the backend of their secondary.
Overall, the Penn State standout is someone the Broncos could very well consider on Day 3 with two selections in the fourth round. But how he stacks up compared to the rest of the class will be heavily influenced by Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph, defensive backs coach Doug Belk, and the team’s scouting staff. I wouldn’t mind Wheatley being added into the mix but feel there are quite a handful of other prospects who are better fits for the Broncos’ defense.
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