Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1544665
M A Y 2 0 2 6 5 9 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M C arter Blattner was in attendance last August when Penn State opened its 2025 season with a 46- 11 victory over Nevada. There were 106,914 others on hand at Beaver Stadium, and the game-day scene made a big impression on Blattner, a three-star defensive end from Northern Highlands High in Allen- dale, N.J. " T h e s ta d i u m wa s pa c ke d ," Blattner recalled. "I was a little sur- prised, with it being Nevada, to see that many people show up to watch that game. It was loud, and after seeing all of that, it just makes you want to play for those fans. They care about their team. How could you not want to put on a show for them?" Blattner didn't have a schol- arship offer at the time, but that changed shortly after the season ended. The 6-foot-5, 245-pound prospect received an offer from the new staff in mid-February, and Blattner im- mediately made it clear that he was in- trigued by the possibility of suiting up for the Nittany Lions. "Getting the offer from Penn State is huge for me," he said. "That has always been a place I wanted to go play. To be able to have that opportunity means a lot to me." He was also being pursued aggres- sively by Virginia Tech, Kentucky and Wisconsin, but on April 4, Blattner de- cided the PSU offer was too good to pass up. He committed to the Nittany Lions that day, becoming the fourth defensive player in the class and the first lineman. Blattner was credited with 45 tackles, including 5 for loss, and 3 forced fum- bles in nine games as a junior. He had 50 tackles, with 13 for loss and 5 sacks, as a sophomore. There's been some debate over where he'll fit in best at the college level. Some schools recruited him as an interior lineman, while others liked him as an edge rusher. The Nittany Lions fell into the latter camp, and their assessment aligned with Blatter's vision for his col- lege career. "When Penn State said they liked me at defensive end, I definitely liked that," he said. "I'm going to try and do what I can to not neces- sarily lose weight, but [get leaner] and be better with my nutrition. I believe it's better to put weight on in college, when you're surrounded by people who oversee that as their job. "But we've talked about how they want heavier defensive ends, guys who can play the run and the pass at all times. I could see myself play- ing in the 260-pound range down the road." Blattner, who received just shy of 20 scholarship offers during his recruitment, is listed by Rivals as the No. 47 edge rusher nationally and No. 6 player in New Jersey. In the Rivals Industry Ranking, which pools the grades of the three ma- jor recruiting websites, he's the nation's No. 431 overall prospect, No. 41 edge rusher and No. 9 player in his home state. Those grades put him right on the bubble of becoming a four-star prospect if he can ultimately end up finishing among Rivals' top 400 play- ers. ■ Stadium Scene Makes Big Impression On New Jersey Defensive Lineman RYA N S N Y D E R | RYA N . S N Y D E R @ O N 3 . C O M Blattner received a scholarship offer from the Nittany Lions in mid-Febru- ary and committed on April 4, becoming the fourth defensive player to join PSU's class. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS COMMITMENT PROFILE CARTER BLATTNER One projection for Carter Blattner is that he becomes a dominant athlete at defensive tackle with a long, athletic frame. If he can retain his fluidity and his movement skills while weighing 295 to 305 pounds, he has a chance to be an exceptionally productive defensive lineman. With 32.5-inch arms, he's got the length to play on the interior and be a produc- tive pass rusher if he can consistently find a home. The other projection is for Blattner to contribute as a defensive end. If he's determined to follow this path, he should still aim to be closer to 300 pounds than 250. In this scenario, the goal would be to maximize his potential as a hybrid defensive tackle/edge rusher. He could develop into a lean 285-pounder who plays with uncommon strength and move- ment skills. That's a lofty goal and one that may not be attainable. Still, there's room at Penn State for an athletic, run-stuffing defensive end who can handle essentially the same role he's performing at the high school level. — Thomas Frank Carr P L A Y E R E V A L U A T I O N