2025 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Franklin Wheeler II, DB, Lenoir-Rhyne University

• Name: Franklin Wheeler II
• Position: Defensive Back & Special Teams
• College: Barton College/Lenoir-Rhyne University 
• Height: 6’0
• Weight: 186
• Twitter: @TheJayWheeler
• Instagram: @wheelerisland

What makes you a top prospect at your position in the 2025 NFL Draft? 

What makes me a top prospect is my Positional Versatility & Ability to play man-to-man coverage. Throughout my career I played every position from Outside Corner in the field and boundary. I lined up at Nickelback, Strong Safety, Free Safety, and Box Safety which allowed me to make tackles in the box and on the perimeter. I am disruptive in man-to-man and physical at the catch point in my career only surrendering 1 TD in 4 years of competition. 

What is one thing that NFL teams should know about you?

I am willing to do anything to win in any role. Any professional organization that is willing to give me an opportunity is going to get a professional from Day 1 in the way conduct myself on and off the field, I am intentional in my daily routine. I was raised with great values in a two-parent household while being the oldest of 5 siblings so responsibility and duty are instinctual to me. I am a student of the game, always actively seeking ways to sharpen the small nuances of my game by studying the best of the best and then practicing the application of what I am learning. I also take pride in the people who support the organization from the top down, I will be active in my community making a difference on and off the field while serving as a role model to young men and ladies coming up in the world. 

If you could donate to one cause in the world, what would it be? 

I would donate to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation devotes its time to research on a cure for individuals with T1D. This type of diabetes is genetic and isn’t caused by lifestyle choices. These individuals fight the daily battles of those opposed to people who don’t have disease. Finding a cure and enhancing research would be groundbreaking for this demographic of people who are affected daily by that autoimmune disease. 

Who was your role model? 

My Role Model is my Father. My Father for as long as I can remember has been the hardest working man I know and works tirelessly to pave the way for our family. He instilled in me a lot of traits and lessons that will propel me to be successful in any human endeavor. I look forward to the privilege of continuing on his legacy of strong men who make it happen regardless and protect their families while setting up our family for success in generations to come.

Who is your favorite NFL team?

My favorite NFL team is the Carolina Panthers. 

Who is the most underrated teammate at your school? 

The most underrated teammate I had while I was at Barton was Mike Webb. Never got the credit he deserved for his impact and how sticky he is in coverage. The most underrated teammate at my time at Lenoir-Rhyne was Damien Savage, a very versatile defender who overcame a lot of adversity and delivered in the most clutch moments. 

What is your biggest pet peeve? 

My biggest pet peeve is the lack of intensity. The type of person I am, I am always a 1000mph, so anybody who is the opposite is someone I look forward to pushing. 

Who is your favorite teacher ever?

My favorite teacher is Dr. Charlie Ottinger, He was my main professor in my Masters Program at Barton and he possesses a true gift at teaching and allowing you to absorb the information with analogies, questions, and practical exercises to ensure you retain the information as well as understand it. 

Overcoming adversity is what defines character, what was the hardest moment in your life to overcome? 

This past season, I had to learn how to balance being a collegiate athlete while taking care of my wife and newborn son. It was also my first time living away from home on my own supporting myself and a family. With being overwhelmed at first, I found profound purpose amid chaos and learned that I could do anything with intention and balance. This taught me more about myself and that I can do anything while being dedicated to my goals which are for the betterment of my family. 

If you could have any franchise restaurant in your house what would it be?

I am a North Carolinian to the bone so it would have to be Bojangles. The Supreme Dinner with cajun fries and dirty rice is second to none. 

What is your favorite snack food? 

My favorite snack food is Kettle-Cooked Jalapeno Chips. I highly recommend to anyone who likes chips. 

What is your degree in? 

My degree is a Master of Science in Kinesiology which is the advanced studies of bodily movement and its application to everyday life from exercise, sitting, walking, and its correlation to overall function. 

If you could have dinner with three people dead or alive, who would it be and why? 

The three people I would love to have dinner with would be first and foremost Jesus Christ, as a main pinnacle of influence in my life, I would love to have a conversation with him and be in awe of his selfless sacrifice to keep me in the covenant of the Lord despite my everyday shortcomings. The 2nd person would be my Grandpa James, I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye to him before he passed away and He never got to meet my son. The 3rd person would be my friend Jonathan Gilmore who passed away tragically during my senior year of high school. Gilmore was an enrollee at WSSU and played football. He always told me I would be great and make it far due to my determination and willingness to get better regardless of how it looks, he would be proud of how far I have come since we last met. 

What is your biggest weakness?

My biggest weakness is that I am my biggest critic, I have a high expectation for myself in life and can be too hard on myself but what I learned is that grace and drawing lessons is what create blessings for yourself to grab. My next biggest weakness is balancing my aggressiveness as a defender. I am naturally aggressive and very physical and find joy in dominating an individual from the jump. Balancing this and learning when to finesse and when to be aggressive would make me dangerous in every phase of the game.