Coach James Franklin recently expressed his desire for Penn State to add a linebacker out of the transfer portal, and a good one visited campus Tuesday.
James Franklin Makes Plea to Find Linebacker in Transfer Portal
Rivals reported late last weekend that Mahomed Toure was expected to visit Penn State soon. Come Tuesday, 247Sports reported that Penn State was hosting Toure, a 2023 all-Big Ten selection from Rutgers, that afternoon.
Toure would make sense at Penn State for multiple reasons.
For starters, the guy can play. Although he missed last season due to injury, Toure balled out in 2023, ending the year with 94 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. He’s also from Pleasantville, New Jersey, and Penn State has long been a force in that state.
One of Penn State’s current players is also from Pleasantville and knows Toure quite well.
A FAMILY AFFAIR
One of Penn State’s more promising young defensive players is part of the Toure family. Vaboue Toure, a 6-foot-1, 209-pound safety, redshirted his freshman season but has an opportunity to make some noise in 2025. With safeties KJ Winston and Jaylen Reed now in the NFL, there’s opportunities for young players to step up, and Toure could run through that door.
Vaboue Toure recently tweeted out his endorsement for his brother to come to Happy Valley.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.HE’S NOT THE ONLY ONE
Toure isn’t the only LB in the transfer portal Penn State is hosting. North Carolina’s Amare Campbell is visiting this weekend.
Campbell would be a big get for Penn State.
The 6-foot, 230-pounder had 76 tackles for Carolina last season to go along with 6.5 sacks.
Penn State could also use another LB, especially on the inside. With three-year starter Kobe King departing for the NFL, there isn’t a clear front runner for Penn State’s MIKE linebacker position. Although Campbell doesn’t play exclusively on the inside, he started five games there last season per Pro Football Focus.
Penn State opens the 2025 season against Nevada Aug. 30.
