Missouri’s secondary got a notable Oregon infusion this offseason, and two of the more interesting additions are cornerbacks Sione Laulea and Jahlil Florence.
The Tigers brought in six transfers for the defensive back room as part of a larger wave of 15 new defensive transfers headed into the season. Laulea and Florence both arrive from Oregon, giving Missouri two corners with different paths but plenty of upside.
Laulea comes in as a three-star transfer, according to 247Sports, after spending the 2024 and 2025 seasons with the Ducks. The 6-foot-4 cornerback started his college career at the junior college level and was ranked the nation’s No. 1 JUCO cornerback by 247Sports after the 2023 season.
His first year at Oregon was mostly about depth, though he still got on the field. In 2024, he posted one solo tackle, two assisted tackles and an interception he returned 12 yards, along with one pass breakup.
Last season, Laulea’s role expanded. On nine targets, he gave up only three catches for 33 yards and added four solo tackles, three assisted tackles and two pass breakups. His size and length make him one of Missouri’s most intriguing secondary additions, and he has a chance to compete for a starting job.
Florence is also a three-star cornerback transfer, according to 247Sports, and he brings a different kind of profile. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound defensive back joined Oregon in 2022 and played in eight games as a true freshman, finishing with six solo tackles, two assists and one interception.
He took on a bigger workload in 2023, finishing with 27 total tackles, one sack and one interception. But an injury in November 2023 sidelined him for the entire 2024 season. He came back in 2025, though he appeared in only two games and worked on special teams.
Florence’s calling card is athleticism. A former track athlete, he brings speed and physicality to Missouri’s defense, and it will be interesting to see how both former Ducks fit into the Tigers’ plans in 2026.
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