Eight is enough for Pleasantville High School graduate Mohamed Toure.
The standout linebacker for the University of Miami has gained national attention after announcing that he will be playing again for the Hurricanes next season.
It will be his eighth season of eligibility.
On the surface, it seems outlandish. The 24-year-old began his college career at Rutgers in 2019, the same season as current NFL players such as Philadelphia Eagles’ linebackers Nakobe Dean and Nolan Smith, Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens, and New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson.
Toure just helped lead Miami to the National Championship game. He was the Canes’ leading tackler during the season and was also a standout in the playoffs, which ended with a 27-21 loss to Indiana.
Dean, Pickens and Wilson all just finished their FOURTH NFL seasons.
But it’s important to note that Toure isn’t playing his eighth season of college football. Injuries and other circumstances led the NCAA to grant him an eighth season of eligibility.
College football’s version of Van Wilder can’t be faulted for taking advantage of an opportunity.
Toure was a terrific player for Pleasantville High coach Chris Sacco, helping the Greyhounds gain respectability after years of struggles. As a junior and senior he led the team to a combined 15-6 record in 2017-18.
There were personal challenges along the way.
During his sophomore year at Pleasantville, poor grades nearly ended his football career.
“My mom had a one-strike rule and she told me I couldn’t play anymore,” Toure said on a podcast a few years ago. “Later that day, my teacher, Ms. (Barbara) Potter, said, ‘if I talk to your mom for you, and she lets you play football, you come to my classroom and do your work. I did that and my mom let me play.”
Before the first game of his junior season at Pleasantville, he received word that his grandmother, Mariam, had died unexpectedly in the family’s original home in Liberia.
He decided to play, anyway, and returned a fumble in overtime 90 yards for a touchdown to give the Greyhounds a 13-7 win.
“He went through some adversity today,” Sacco told The Press after the game. “I just can’t be more proud of the way he responded. That says a lot about him, to hang in there.”
He would deal with more adversity at Rutgers.
Upon signing with the Scarlet Knights, he redshirted as a true freshman in 2019. In 2020, the NCAA granted all players a free year of eligibility because of the Covid 19 pandemic-shortened season.
In addition, Toure tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee twice, in 2022 and again in 2024, both of which resulted in medical redshirts.
Having played in 2021 and 2023, Toure still had two more seasons of eligibility and he decided to use them by transferring to the University of Miami.
“I wanted the opportunity to play (with and against) elite talent and play for something bigger,” Toure said during the playoffs.
He immediately became a standout for the Hurricanes. He led the team with 84 tackles and added three tackles for loss, two sacks and six pass breakups in 16 games.
Toure really stood out when the stakes were highest. He posted eight tackles against Texas A&M, seven in an upset of Ohio State, four in a semifinal win over Ole Miss and matched his career high with 11 stops in the national championship game.
Just as importantly, he emerged as a leader off the field.
“Just him as a person, who he is and how he is around his teammates, how he is around the staff, to me he’s a no-brainer in any department,” Miami defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman told the New York Post.
“He’s a guy I want around my family. I want him around the players. I want him in the locker room, because he pulls everyone up. He gets everyone better around him.”
Now he gets to do it one more season.
Toure could have declared for the 2026 NFL draft, but with NIL opportunities now available, using up one’s eligibility is not a bad option. It gives him a chance to prove that this season was not a fluke, ease the concerns from NFL scouts about his injury history, perhaps improve his draft stock for next season, while also making some money.
After all the injuries and uncertainty, after the personal challenges he’s overcome, he can’t be faulted for playing one more season.
“I know what it feels like to be at the bottom,” Toure told the New York Post. “I know what it feels like to have to fight and go through adversity and have to overcome obstacles and just through hurdles to get to where I am today.
“It’s a blessing, man. I don’t take any of this for granted. Every opportunity, every game, every practice, I just take a deep breath and make the most of it and I try to have fun every single time I can.”
Local NFL update
Six local players from Cape-Atlantic League schools saw action in the NFL this season.
Jacksonville Jaguars rookie running back LeQuint Allen, Jr. (Millville) had 23 carries for 94 yards (4.1 yards per carry) and 10 receptions for 54 yards in the regular season. In the playoffs, he had one carry for 3 yards, one reception for 9 yards and a 26-yard kickoff return in the Jaguars’ 27-24 loss to the Buffalo Bills.
Dallas Cowboys safety Markquese Bell (Bridgeton) registered 33 tackles in his fourth season and recorded his first career interception against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Jaguars nose tackle Austin Johnson (St. Augustine Prep, Galloway Township) finished his 10th NFL season with four tackles and a sack in his first season with the Jaguars and added a tackle in the playoffs.
Green Bay Packers wide receiver/defensive back Bo Melton (Cedar Creek) played a variety of roles for the team in his fourth season. He opened the season as a defensive back, but also saw time at wide receiver and had four receptions for 107 yards and a 45-yard touchdown against the Chicago Bears. He also had 35 yards on five carries and averaged 24.6 yards on 19 kickoff returns. The Packers lost 31-27 to the Bears in the playoffs.
Arizona Cardinals cornerback Max Melton (Cedar Creek), Bo’s younger brother, saw action in 10 games during his second season and had 31 tackles with five pass defenses while dealing with a variety of injuries.
Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco (Vineland) was the Chiefs’ second-leading rusher with 462 yards and a TD on 118 carries (3.9 yards per carry) in his fourth season. He added 19 receptions for 101 yards and a TD.
David is a nationally recognized sports columnist who has covered Philadelphia and local sports for over 40 years. After 35 years with The Press, he has served as a columnist for 973ESPN.com and created his own Facebook page, Dave Weinberg Extra Points. Send comments to weinbergd419@comcast.net.
Featured photo credit: Mohamed Toure Facebook
