Another 2027 spring recruiting trail winner, Shakopee’s Blake Betton Blake Betton 6'3" | 205 lbs | LB Shakopee | 2027 State MN also qualifies as a “when” not “if” developing P4 prospect who has been in the crosshairs of PRzMN and regional D1s since he was a freshman. The son of Shakopee’s head coach Ray Betton, Blake has always had impressive size and range as a young safety, with a strong basketball background and athleticism visibly above his peers. With dynamic freshman tape competing against non-varsity competition, Betton became a shoe-in playmaker for the Sabers varsity defense in 2024, helping them to a Class 6A state semifinal appearance while proving himself to be more than capable of asserting himself physically in run support and explosively in pass defense. It’s been a slow and steady offer climb for Betton, who earned his first scholarship offer in January from NDSU, but things really began to heat up in April, with North Dakota South Dakota State offering, followed by South Dakota in May. Then, in an exciting yet unsurprising turn, Betton became a P4 offeree on the 15th, as one of Minnesota’s top out-of-state suitors in the Iowa State Cyclones pulled the trigger on the Shakopee SAF and potentially future LB. You watch the tape, or even better, watch Betton live, and it doesn’t take a professional scout to know this kid is different. More offers coming!

We recently broke down Shakopee’s stud 2027 safety Blake Betton Blake Betton 6'3" | 205 lbs | LB Shakopee | 2027 State MN midseason tape for a Film Room special on PrepRedzoneMN, and got to see the sophomore live and in-person against the Minnetonka Skippers, and he’s been more than impressive both on the field and on tape. Against the Skippers, with more than 8,000 fans watching on, Betton was a fantastic tackler who could come downhill and stonewall powerful ball carriers once he made contact with some thump, and was more than athletic enough to corral and handle ball carriers in space 1v1. He owns a long, lean frame that looks like a legit 6’3+, and he shows a ton of room to fill in as he continues to grow. Plus, he’s got a strong basketball background, and is the son of Shako’s head coach Ray Betton, a nice box to check given how coaches kids usually have a high IQ, not to mention the fact that Betton plays safety, where you need to be able to read and process quickly. We know he’s been getting a lot of attention so far this fall, but Betton HAS to be included in this feature, as he’s one of only a few MN 2027s to earn a P4 gameday invite this fall and one of even fewer to earn a gameday invite from the Gophers. Betton checked out Dinkytown last weekend in the gophers win over Maryland and also visited Wisconsin in early October.

Here’s what we noted about Betton’s midseason film: “The sophomore brings tons of pop and a physical edge to the Shakopee defense, especially as a third-level defender and one who has to make a lot of high-pressure 1on1 tackles. He owns long arms, height, and athleticism, and creates a huge catch radius that can pick off and break up passes at a variety of angles. Especially effective in 50/50 highball situations. In run defense, Betton sifts through traffic and finds the ball with pace, takes good angles to the football, accelerates into contact, sticks ball carriers, and doesn’t allow extra gains once he makes contact. Even as a sophomore, Betton is a hulking high school safety, and depending on how he continues to grow, I could see a move to linebacker in his future, especially given how physical and run-defense-heavy his tape and skillset is.” I see many more visits in this young man’s future and he is currently on a shortlist of MN 2027s looking and playing like future P4 prospects as sophomores.

Shakopee’s superstar sophomore Blake Betton Blake Betton 6'3" | 205 lbs | LB Shakopee | 2027 State MN is playing like his early 2027 ranking indicates and is displaying D1-worthy size, length, instincts, athleticism, and physicality. I got to see Betton ball out in a big-time, run-heavy, Top 3 6A showdown with Minnetonka a couple of weeks ago, and he lived up to the hype. Betton was a fantastic tackler who could come downhill and stonewall powerful ball carriers once he made contact with some thump, and was more than athletic enough to corral and handle ball carriers in space 1v1. Through 7 games of 2024, Betton posted 56 tackles, 2 PBUs, a forced fumble, and an interception, and brings tons of pop and a physical edge to the Shakopee defense, especially as a third-level defender and one who has to make a lot of high-pressure 1on1 tackles. He owns long arms, height, and athleticism, and creates a huge catch radius that can pick off and break up passes at a variety of angles. Especially effective in 50/50 highball situations. In run defense, Betton sifts through traffic and finds the ball with pace, takes good angles to the football, accelerates into contact, sticks ball carriers, and doesn’t allow extra gains once he makes contact. Even as a sophomore, Betton is a hulking high school safety, and depending on how he continues to grow, I could see a move to linebacker in his future, especially given how physical and run-defense-heavy his tape and skillset is. Lots of football left in this young man’s career, get to know the name now!

Back to Shakopee High School we go! One of the most popular programs in the current 2025 cycle, the Sabers are looking to continue the recruiting momentum into the 2027 class, and man oh man does DB Blake Betton Blake Betton 6'3" | 205 lbs | LB Shakopee | 2027 State MN have the potential to be special. The son of Shako’s head coach Ray Betton, rising sophomore Blake has a fantastic frame and basketball background that, when combined, create some eye-popping ability on the gridiron. DB recruiting is trending towards height and length, and Betton has both of those in droves for a rising sophomore, and prospects with that multi-sport football/basketball resume in MN are usually explosive athletes, a trend that Betton absolutely continues, as he runs with the accomplished Howard Pulley EYBL AAU club when he’s not tearing up the gridiron. A WR/DB/returner with ridiculous length and impressive dynamic ability as a three-phase contributor, Betton is especially exciting as a safety, but brings a playmaking mentality and a ton of instincts to the table in his non-varsity 2023 season with the Sabers.

Good speed, explosive kick returner, and displays quickness and great balance when evading tackle attempts. His long legs help him easily work through tackle attempts at his lower body, and he hurt opponents as a WR and RB in 2023, burning DBs deep, cruising past pursuers to the sideline, and breaking tackles all over the field. As a free safety, where I think his skillset best fits, Betton is very instinctive in coverage – can flip his hips quickly, reads, identifies, and reacts to passing concepts, reads QBs eyes well, and shows good awareness of where he is in relation to a receiver and when to jump a pass. Very natural and fluid on film as well. The 6’2-6’3 safety undercuts and ballhawks from his MOF position, triggers on the ball with pace, will come up and contribute to run support aggressively, and is capable of enforcing a physical presence as a MOF defender and will come downhill and rock WRs coming over the middle to force PBUs. Betton displays great bounce and can contest and win 50/50 ball high in the air (thank you, basketball) and was the best athlete in the field in his 2023 highlights and a natural, versatile, and explosive playmaker just beginning to scratch the surface of his potential. I’m sure there will be an adjustment to varsity ball, but the athleticism, length, and upside are very high caliber. I’m absolutely itching to see this kid as a sophomore!