Craig Kimbrel
From Sylacauga, Alabama, Wheeler attended Childersburg High School, where he played baseball and American football. A linebacker for the football team, Wheeler was named among the best players of the state of Alabama. He received offers to play college football from several Division II schools, including Jacksonville State University, Miles College, and Livingston College. He chose instead to enroll at Wallace State Community College in Hanceville, Alabama, where he played college baseball. His teammates included Derek Holland, Craig Kimbrel, and Jake Elmore.