Penn State lands Betton
Penn State’s staff added four‑star Blake Betton, a safety‑turned‑inside linebacker who drew recruiting interest from Nebraska, Michigan and Michigan State, according to recruiting posts (x.com). Social coverage emphasized Betton’s position switch and four‑star ranking as an offseason pickup for the defensive staff (x.com).
Penn State added Class of 2027 linebacker Blake Betton on April 11, giving Matt Campbell’s new staff its sixth commitment and first linebacker in the cycle. (247sports.com) Betton is listed by 247Sports at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds out of Shakopee High School in Minnesota, with a hard commitment date of April 11, 2026. 247Sports Composite ranks him No. 417 nationally, No. 35 at linebacker and No. 4 in Minnesota. (247sports.com) Recruiting services do not describe him the same way. 247Sports lists Betton as a linebacker, while an On3 scouting report said the Minnesota defender “plays safety at 6-3, 205” and projects as a future box linebacker. (247sports.com; on3.com) That position history helps explain the appeal. A defender with safety experience usually arrives with more pass-coverage reps, while Penn State is taking him as an inside linebacker target in Tyson Veidt’s room. (on3.com; gopsusports.com) The commitment also fits the shape of Penn State’s early 2027 class. PennLive and Sports Illustrated both reported that five of the program’s six commitments are defenders after Betton joined the group. (pennlive.com; si.com) This is one of the first recruiting snapshots of the Campbell era in State College. Penn State officially named Campbell its 17th head coach in December 2025, and Veidt followed him onto the 2026 staff after eight seasons working under Campbell at Iowa State. (psu.edu; gopsusports.com) Betton’s offer sheet was broad even before the commitment. 247Sports shows offers from Auburn, Boston College and Michigan State among others, while Yahoo’s Rivals-based report said he chose Penn State over Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Missouri. (247sports.com; sports.yahoo.com) His production gives some context for the rankings. 247Sports credits Betton with 175 total tackles, six tackles for loss, four pass breakups, six interceptions and one forced fumble across his 2024 and 2025 seasons at Shakopee. (247sports.com) Penn State’s next step is turning an early pledge into a signed prospect. For now, Betton gives the Nittany Lions a Minnesota defender with a safety-to-linebacker profile and another defensive piece in a 2027 class that is already leaning hard to that side of the ball. (247sports.com; pennlive.com)
