If Vaboue Toure becomes close to what Ji’Ayir Brown was at Penn State, that’s a result PSU and its fans would take any day of the week and twice on Sunday.
Like Brown— who became a leader on Penn State’s defense before being drafted by the 49ers, where he became a key contributor as a rookie last season— Toure is from New Jersey.
Brown grew up in Trenton, Toure in Pleasantville. Brown started his college career at Lackawanna Community College, and Toure is going right to Penn State out of high school. The true freshman is the subject in this edition of All 105, a Nittany Sports Now series profiling each Penn State football player.
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 209 pounds
Hometown: Pleasantville, New Jersey
Before Penn State: Vaboue Toure was a standout at Irvington High School, becoming a team captain during his senior season. He committed to Penn State the summer after his junior season, which ended with him picking up 89 tackles, forcing a fumble, picking off four passes and receiving a pair of fumbles, running each back for a touchdown. He followed that up as a senior, ending the year with 90 tackles, rushing for eight touchdowns offensively and returning a punt for a score. The four-star recruit signed with Penn State in December.
Where he stands: With Toure being a true freshman and Penn State having a loaded safeties room that features potential first-round pick KJ Winston along with veterans Jaylen Reed and Zakee Wheatley, it’s hard to see Toure getting much action in 2024. But Toure’s size, speed and ball skills make him an intriguing part of Penn State’s future.
A quote by Toure: ”I like the facilities and the field. Everything was nice. Coach (Rashad) Elby is a real cool guy. He’s a people person. I see him more as a friend than a coach.” — Toure to 247Sports on Penn State.
A quote about Toure: ”Guys that have the ability to uncoil on a ball-carrier, that’s special, that’s a splash wow play,” Zemaitis said. “But I need a guy that can consistently take guys down in space with a solid wrap tackle, which we say ‘get up on a body part’. That’s Vab. Vab will track you down, always close ground, and he can uncoil on ball-carriers.” — Penn State recruiting coordinator for personnel Alan Zemaitis on Toure via 247.
