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The Pro Football Hall of Fame Game this year was one for the ages. After more than 100 days without football, the NFL returned with a bang to celebrate the game’s best and brightest. Thursday, Aug. 6, was the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Game between the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals. The game itself was a back-and-forth affair, with the Panthers prevailing on a last-second, game-winning scramble from undrafted free agent and “Man of the Match” Haynes King, 33-30. With the game now in the rearview mirror and both teams returning to training camp before their next opponents, the Panthers are set to face the Buffalo Bills, while the Cardinals hit the road to to face the Las Vegas Raiders; it’s time to start a new pastime: finding the next hidden gem and standout player in a new series called Box Score Watchers. Hall of Fame Game: Zakee Wheatley Makes His Mark for the Carolina Panthers This series will highlight a player who popped off the box score and requires a closer look. This week, it’s Carolina’s fifth-round rookie safety, Zakee Wheatley. Wheatley, selected with the 151st pick out of Penn State, finished the game with eight total tackles, including two solo tackles, and a forced fumble. He led all Panthers players in tackles, and the tape backs it up. Zakee Wheatley looked to get downhill on every run play, quickly closing the gap and meeting the running back at the point of contact. Wheatley, who was known as a tackling machine at Penn State, added a forced fumble to his stat line. He punched the ball loose, with the forced fumble credited to Chau Smith-Wade on the broadcast. This was another skill Wheatley was known for during his college career. However, tackling wasn’t the only area where Wheatley played well. His pass coverage was excellent, too. While he wasn’t targeted often in coverage, the few times he showed his ability to close space and tackle gave receivers little room to turn upfield and pick up yards. One play in particular stood out. Carson Beck looked for his receiver in the flat, but Wheatley quickly closed the gap, making the pass a difficult catch. The receiver secured the ball, but Wheatley was there almost immediately after the pass left Beck’s hand. The tape was reminiscent of former Panther and current Raider safety who shined during his rookie season: Jeremy Chinn. Chinn was an excellent tackler in the run game, although he was a little less consistent in pass coverage. His ability to close space was the skill that came to mind when watching Wheatley play against the Cardinals. While Zakee Wheatley won’t be a Day 1 starter for Carolina, playing behind Nick Scott and Tre’von Moehrig, he should be able to make an impact in limited snaps with his closing speed and tackling ability. That could allow Carolina defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero to maximize his defensive packages and potentially help the Panthers avoid another situation like the one they experienced with Chinn. Zakee Wheatley should definitely be on your must-watch list going forward this preseason. He will get more opportunities to play and showcase his skills, and hopefully, he can earn his spot on the roster much like Lathan Ransom did last year. Main Image: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images