Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1544665
M A Y 2 0 2 6 5 7 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M W hen Matt Campbell got the head coaching job at Penn State, he brought some of his best recruiting re- lationships with him from Iowa State to Happy Valley. Among the first players to answer Campbell's call was linebacker Blake Betton of Shakopee (Minn.) High. Hav- ing gotten to know the Nittany Lions' new head coach when he was still with the Cyclones, Betton quickly set up a trip to State College in January, then returned for his second visit in early April. Those trips were enough to convince him to join the Lions' 2027 recruiting class. After becoming the first linebacker to commit to Penn State in the current cycle, Betton said the qualities that im- pressed him when he was considering Iowa State were still in play with his choice of the Nittany Lions. "The whole coaching staff and what they were for me at Iowa State — they showed how much they really cared about me," Betton told On3 following his commitment. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound prospect chose the Nittany Lions over scholarship offers from Auburn, Arizona State, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska and Wisconsin. This spring, he checked out all but Auburn and Minne- sota for unofficial visits. Penn State had previously set up an official visit with Betton for the summer. Listed as a four-star prospect by Ri- vals' scouts, Betton is the No. 294 player and No. 25 linebacker nationally, and the No. 2 prospect in Minnesota in the 2027 class. His listing is comparable in the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average of the grades from the major re- cruiting websites. The Industry Ranking has him at No. 35 among linebackers and No. 4 in his home state, and he's listed as the No. 421 overall prospect nationally. Betton started out as a safety at Shako- pee but developed into a linebacker. He was credited with 88 tackles and 2 inter- ceptions in 10 games last fall. When he arrives at Penn State next year, he will be working with linebackers coaches Tyson Veidt and Dan Connor, as well as defen- sive coordinator D'Anton Lynn. All three impressed Betton and his family when they visited campus in January. "They're all good men," said Ray Bet- ton, Blake's father. "When you can share laughs, it makes it comfortable. Yeah, we're talking football, but there are other parts of life that come out during these visits. "With them, it was all genuine. Some of their coaches had their kids around throughout the day. They were introduc- ing us to their kids. It really had that fam- ily feel, which was really cool." Betton is a top target at linebacker for Penn State, but it also remains in the thick of the chase for Oklahoma four-star prospect Case Alexander and Virginia prospect Tyson Washington. Both visited during the Nittany Lions' spring practice sessions. ■ Minnesota Linebacker Likes What PSU Has To Offer S E A N F I T Z | S E A N . F I T Z @ O N 3 . C O M Betton, with linebackers coach Tyson Veidt (left) and defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn , was the leading tackler at Shakopee (Minn.) High last fall, finishing his junior season with 88 stops, along with a pair of interceptions. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS COMMITMENT PROFILE BLAKE BETTON Blake Betton's experience and genetics both seem to point toward a role in the middle of Penn State's defense. The son of a football coach, he has the tone-setting mentality you want at the Mike position. In addition, he has long arms and excellent growth potential. Betton is already listed at 6-foot-3, 205 pounds, meaning that he has plenty of room to grow, especially in his lower half. While the exact number is unknowable, there's no reason to think that he couldn't be a natural 235-pound linebacker for Penn State. His overall athletic profile would make him a great prospect at the Mike position, which is a bonus for any defense. Another possibility is the Will linebacker spot. This is where teams put their best athletes, players with a variety of skills, including blitzing. Betton's tape doesn't show him making as many plays near the line of scrimmage as some of Penn State's classic Will LBs, but his size and explosive movement skills in the short area mark him as a candidate for the spot. With time and development, he could be a standout at either box position. — Thomas Frank Carr P L A Y E R E V A L U A T I O N