Kansas University wasn’t Gabe Toomey’s first choice.

The Jayhawks weren’t his second choice, either.

KU was the NJCAA All-American’s final choice, however, and the talented linebacker from Iowa Central Community College is happy his unusual path led him to Lawrence.

“It’s going real well,” Toomey said of summer workouts. “Everybody’s excited to get here. I know all the junior college guys and new recruits are really excited to get it started.”

Kansas coach Mark Mangino signed 26 players, including 13 junior college transfers, last winter. Toomey was considered the prize recruit in a junior college class ranked No. 1 in the nation by rivals.com.

Two years ago, KU would have had little chance of landing a linebacker ranked in the nation’s top four by USA Today. Toomey was a high school All-American at West Des Moines, Iowa, where he recorded 120 tackles as a junior and 140 as a senior.

Toomey signed with Oklahoma in the winter of 2001 following the Sooners’ 2000 national championship season. He spent his freshman season as a red-shirt at OU, but things “didn’t click” for him in Norman and he transferred to Iowa Central after one semester.

At ICCC, he was named conference and region defensive player of the year, and rivals.com rated him 30th in the nation among junior college players.

Toomey picked another Big 12 Conference school the second time around, giving Iowa State a non-binding verbal commitment on Nov. 13, 2002. But Toomey backed out on his home-state school because, he said, ISU wanted him to play strongside linebacker, and he wanted to remain at weakside linebacker.

¢ KU’s 2003 newcomers

“I’ve played that my whole life, since day one,” he said. “That’s a comfort zone for me.”

Toomey likely will get that chance at Kansas, which lost leading tacklers Greg Cole and Leo Etienne to graduation.

Mangino, who was an OU assistant during Toomey’s red-shirt season, stumbled across video tape of the linebacker while recruiting one of his Iowa Central teammates.

“He called me up the next day,” Toomey said of the KU coach. “I came down on a visit and loved it, so I’m here now.”

Toomey changed his commitment following his Dec. 20 visit.

“I knew right away,” Toomey said. “It immediately clicked between the two of us down at OU. I loved him down there and thought nothing but good things about him, and when he called me from Kansas I knew right away I was going to take a visit and most likely commit to KU because of the coaches.”

Mainly Mangino.

“He’s a great guy,” Toomey said. “My family and him get along real well. That was really comfortable for me, and that’s important.”

Toomey will be counted on to improve a defense that allowed an average of 472.4 yards and 42.25 points per game last season.

“Gabe has all the tools that are necessary to play in the Big 12 Conference,” Mangino said. “He can be an outstanding player if he continues to dedicate himself to the out-of-season programs and get himself ready to play. He has the potential to be an outstanding player in this league.”

Toomey lost weight when he reported to campus in late May before adding “eight good pounds.” The 6-foot-3, 225-pounder hopes to add another five to 10 pounds before his sophomore season begins Aug. 30 against Northwestern.

“Gabe’s doing a hell of a job,” said Chris Dawson, KU’s director of strength and conditioning. “He knows how to work. Sometimes you run into a situation where you have to teach a guy how to work. Gabe’s been around in Oklahoma and junior college, and he knows how to work.”

Toomey and his fellow transfers will have to work hard to stop the Jayhawks’ string of seven consecutive losing seasons.

“It’s a challenge to change a program that hasn’t been to a bowl game since 1995,” he said. “I really think it’s going to happen soon because of the coaching staff, the weight room and all the guys Mangino’s bringing in. It’s definitely a challenge we’re all willing to step up and accept.”