Panthers have PFF's highest-graded rookie entering Week 4

The Carolina Panthers may have found themselves a gem for their secondary. Through three weeks, Pro Football Focus has safety Zakee Wheatley at an 86.1 overall defensive grade. And that overall mark, as we enter Week 4, is the highest amongst all rookies who have recorded at least 60 snaps this seas

Football Zone

SEE ALL

SB Nation

Los Angeles Chargers news: Chargers-Seahawks final score prediction

Colts Wire

Commanders' QB Jayden Daniels out vs. Colts; Marcus Mariota gets start

Giants Wire

Cam Skattebo: New York Giants' red zone troubles are self-inflicted

What is the story about?

The Carolina Panthers may have found themselves a gem for their secondary.

Through three weeks, Pro Football Focus has safety Zakee Wheatley at an 86.1 overall defensive grade. And that overall mark, as we enter Week 4, is the highest amongst all rookies who have recorded at least 60 snaps this season.

Here, led by the impressive 24-year-old, is how the top 10 for PFF looked after Week 3:

S Zakee Wheatley: 86.1

CB Mansoor Delane: 83.2
S Genesis Smith: 83.0
LB Josiah Trotter: 81.9
OT Max Iheanachor: 80.8
LB Harold Perkins Jr.: 77.0
S Caleb Downs: 76.3
WR Antonio Williams: 76.3
WR Denzel Boston: 75.6
TE Matthew Hibner: 75.5

Carolina selected Wheatley, a standout at Penn State, in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. He'd make his regular-season debut in Week 2, where he earned a team-best 93.7 overall grade in the 34-3 win over the Atlanta Falcons.

Under the hood, Wheatley has been given a 77.7 grade in coverage, a 74.5 in run defense and an 88.9 in tackling.

And for those into the

more traditional numbers, he's amassed 10 combined tackles and a forced fumble.

Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.

This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers have PFF's highest-graded rookie entering Week 4