Penn State football safety Zakee Wheatley announced on social media he is returning for the 2025 season. The redshirt junior has one year of eligibility remaining.

“Sometimes it’s hard to put into words how blessed I am to be able to wear the blue and white and play this beautiful game in front of the greatest fans in the world! Thinking about what we have accomplished so far as a team and what we have to still accomplish this season makes me excited!” Wheatley wrote. “I have decided to return to Penn State next year for my last year!”

Wheatley stepped up in KJ Winston’s place, who suffered a season-ending injury against Bowling Green in September. The Maryland native has 77 total tackles, four breakups, 1.5 tackles for loss, and one interception.

Wheatley has appeared in every game the last three seasons, and four his freshman year. He has 130 career tackles and three interceptions.

The veteran’s decision to return is huge, considering Winston has already declared for the 2025 NFL Draft and Jaylen Reed’s likeliness to follow suit. Dejuan Lane, Antoine Belgrave-Shorter, and Tyrece Mills are potential in-house replacements for Reed.