The spring season gave Penn State football's recruitment a huge boost it needed. Five Class of 2027 recruits committed to the program over the span of eight days, four of them on the defensive side of the ball.
Now, head coach Matt Campbell is predicted to land another.
Linebacker Blake Betton is a three-star recruit from Shakopee, Minn. and is ranked No. 35 at his position. He is also ranked No. 417 nationally and No. 4 among recruits from Minnesota, per 247Sports Composite rankings. Rivals Industry Ranking has Betton listed at No. 446 nationally, No. 33 among linebackers, and No. 4 from his state as well.
On Monday, Tyler Calvaruso of Lions247 reported that the Nittany Lions are favored to land Betton. He and Brian Dohn entered their Crystal Ball predictions, both submitting Penn State.
Top linebacker target Blake Betton is returning to Penn State this weekend.
— Tyler Calvaruso (@tyler_calvaruso) April 6, 2026
Nittany Lions are trending on the @247CrystalBall ahead of the Shakopee (Minn.) standout’s visit.https://t.co/EkTLCYOnQE https://t.co/zQkVofHfeE
Three-star linebacker Blake Betton is predicted to commit to Penn State
Betton has an official visit lined up with Penn State, scheduled for the weekend of June 19. This is currently the only official visit he has in his calendar, though he has visited other schools unofficially.
Nebraska, a fellow Big Ten school, was one of them. He received 25 total offers with other notable programs being Michigan, Michigan State, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Washington, Virginia Tech, and Minnesota.
These spring practice visits, including Betton's, have done wonders for Campbell. Between work ethic, overall culture, and personnel on the staff, the Nittany Lions are successfully rebuilding their Class of 2027.
They currently have the No. 25 overall recruitment class, per 247Sports. This includes four-star wide receiver Landon Blum, who is currently the highest ranked recruit of the bunch. Defensive lineman Carter Blattner is the second-highest ranked recruit, leading the group of defensive players.
If the blue and white continue powering through recruitment this spring and pick up Betton, he will be Penn State's first committed linebacker. Tyson Washington is the only other player in that position room scheduled to visit Happy Valley in the summer.
In 2025, Betton registered 88 total tackles, four tackles for loss, four pass breakups, two interceptions, and one fumble recovery. He also plays safety for Shakopee High School, but is being recruited at linebacker.