He played college football for the Iowa Hawkeyes and was selected by the Washington Redskins in the second round of the 2002 NFL draft.

Betts grew up as an only child with a single mother who worked two and three jobs to make ends meet.

He and his mother moved from Kansas City, Missouri, to the suburb of Blue Springs when Betts was a child, but he remained very close to his father who has always been an active influence on Ladell over the years.

Betts, who led his team to a 10–1 record, was named USA Today's Missouri Player of the Year after earning first-team all-state and all-metro honors.

He also earned the Thomas Simone Award, which goes to the best high school player in the Kansas City area, and was named a Parade and SuperPrep All-American.

In 1999, Betts started all 11 games, led the team in rushing again, and was named Iowa's co-MVP.

He helped lead the Hawkeyes to the Alamo Bowl that season, but he had only two carries before being forced to leave due to an injury in Iowa's 19–16 win.

[2] Betts came to the University of Iowa to play for Hall of Fame coach Hayden Fry.

In Week 10 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Betts made his first kickoff return for a touchdown of his career with 94-yarder.

Betts is the only running back in the history of the Redskins franchise to record consecutive 150 yard rushing games.

[6] He sustained a neck injury and concussion in a Week 11 game against Seattle, and ultimately was placed on the injured reserve list on December 8, 2010.