Interest in 2027 LB Blaize Battaglia is picking up after a breakout junior year

Milton (Ga.) linebacker Blaize Battaglia has quietly built one of the strongest junior seasons of any defender in the Southeast. The 2027 prospect posted 128 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, 13 quarterback hurries, and multiple sacks this fall, positioning himself as a player to watch heading into the off-season.

At 6-foot-1, 212 pounds, Battaglia combines physicality, speed, and a high football IQ — traits that have already put him on recruiting boards across the country.

Battaglia camped at Indiana, Notre Dame, Penn State, and Wisconsin during the summer, showing well and building early relationships with several staffs.

This fall, as he works toward his first offer, interest has continued to rise. Programs showing the most consistent attention include Air Force, Clemson, Maryland, Penn State, and Tennessee.

He visited Maryland for the first time as a freshman. Battaglia has been up to College Park two times this season, once for a game and another to watch film with the staff.

“Maryland has been very consistent. The defensive coordinator (Ted Monachino) has been reaching out a lot, and the linebacker coach too.

“I was up there for the Nebraska game and the coaches had a lot of energy. It’s a young team, and the staff did a great job getting them energized. I liked the fans too—they were electric.”

Clemson is a national program, and the Tigers have taken notice. Battaglia visited Death Valley during his freshman year, and the impression stuck.

“Dabo Swinney is a great guy. He is a Christian man and a great coach. That team is connected, and it’s the kind of environment I would want to be a part of.”

Environment is one of the things Battaglia is looking for in a school. He has clarity on the traits he values most in a future home.

“My biggest thing in a school is brotherhood,” Battaglia said. “Something that feels like home away from home is big for me. I want a coach who is straight as an arrow — I want the harsh truth. That’s the only way to get better.”

On the defensive side of the ball, he wants a system and staff that will push him and maximize his growth.

Football runs in the Battaglia bloodline. His father, Matt Battaglia, was an All-American linebacker at Louisville, and his grandfather, Carmen Battaglia, was a running back at Florida State.

For Blaize, the connection to the sport is deeper than competition.

“I’ve played it my whole life — it is my life. I worship the Lord, that’s first, and football is the only thing I know. It’s fun. I love the sport. On the field, seeing the fans, it feels like glory. I’m playing for the fans, my teammates, and my friends.”

Battaglia is entering an off-season where his recruitment could take off. He’s hopeful, but grounded.

“I have total trust in the Lord. It’s all to Him. I’m excited for the off-season.”

With a strong junior film, elite production, and a growing list of suitors, Battaglia is poised to be one of the most talked-about defensive prospects in the Southeast in the 2027 class.

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