Penn State picks up first linebacker commit in Class of 2027

TL;DR

Penn State has secured its first linebacker commitment for the Class of 2027 from Blake Betton, a three-star recruit from Minnesota. Betton, who is 6-2 and 200 pounds, chose Penn State over several Big Ten offers, including Minnesota.

Penn State has added a new commitment to its Class of 2027 this weekend. Linebacker Blake Betton, from Minnesota, has given head coach Matt Campbell and the Penn State staff his commitment while in town for a weekend visit.

Betton measures 6-2 and 200 pounds according to his recruit profile from 247Sports. The three-star recruit (according to 247Sports; Rivals adds a fourth star) is ranked as the no. 35 linebacker in the nation and the no. 4 overall recruit in the state of Minnesota. Betton committed to Penn State over offers from a number of Big Ten programs, including his home state Minnesota Golden Gophers.

Other Big Ten offers included Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Northwestern, Washington, and Wisconsin. Beton fielded offers from other power conference programs, including Missouri, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, and Virginia Tech (with former Penn State head coach James Franklin).

An offer from Penn State was extended to Betton in mid-December 2025, about a week after Campbell was named head coach of the program. Betton made an unofficial visit to Penn State in February and was back in town this weekend for a follow-up visit, and another visit this summer is on the travel schedule.

Penn State Class of 2027 Update

Blake Betton is the sixth player currently committed to the Penn State football program in the Class of 2027. With the addition of Betton's commitment, Penn State's Class of 2027 currently ranks No. 23 in the nation according to the updated class rankings from 247Sports. Penn State is currently ranked 9th among Big Ten programs after moving ahead of UCLA (No. 10) with the latest class rankings update. USC currently has the top-ranked class in the Big Ten (No. 3 in the nation), followed by Ohio State (No. 4 in the nation).

Betton is the first linebacker in the Class of 2027 lineup for Penn State and the fifth defensive commitment on the board. Penn State has added three commitments at the cornerback position and one for the defensive line.

Betton is the fifth out-of-state commitment for Matt Campbell and the Penn State staff in the Class of 2027 and the fourth from a state with another Big Ten program.

Check out the full Penn State Class of 2027 tracker for an updated look at Penn State's current commitments and to see where players previously committed stand in their recruiting process.

Kevin McGuire is the lead writer for Nittany Lions Wire. Follow him on BlueSky, Threads or any of these other platforms.

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This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Penn State receives commitment from Class of 2027 LB Blake Betton

Q&A

Who is Blake Betton and what are his stats?

Blake Betton is a 6-2, 200-pound linebacker from Minnesota, ranked as the no. 35 linebacker in the nation and the no. 4 overall recruit in Minnesota.

Which schools offered Blake Betton scholarships before he committed to Penn State?

Betton received offers from several Big Ten programs, including Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Northwestern, Washington, and Wisconsin, as well as from Missouri, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, and Virginia Tech.

When did Penn State extend an offer to Blake Betton?

Penn State extended an offer to Blake Betton in mid-December 2025, shortly after Matt Campbell was named head coach of the program.