Sione Laulea is heading to the SEC.
Three weeks after entering the transfer portal, the former Oregon Ducks cornerback has committed to Missouri, bringing his 6-foot-4, 190-pound frame and intriguing upside to the Tigers’ secondary. Laulea, once the top-ranked JUCO transfer in the 2024 class out of College of San Mateo, now gets a fresh start in Columbia after two seasons with the Ducks that showed flashes but never quite turned into a breakout.
At Oregon, Laulea’s time on the field was limited. He appeared in just four games during his junior year while preserving a redshirt.
In 2025, he saw more action despite dealing with an injury, finishing the season with seven tackles and two passes defensed. Over his Ducks career, he totaled 10 tackles, three passes defensed, and one interception.
Those numbers don’t jump off the page, but they hint at the kind of long-limbed, physical presence that could still develop into something more with the right opportunity.
That opportunity may come in the SEC, where Missouri continues to build out its defensive backfield with experienced talent. Laulea was stuck behind a younger, emerging group of corners at Oregon, but Missouri offers a new landscape - and potentially more snaps.
He becomes the second former Ducks cornerback to make the move to Mizzou this cycle, joining Jahlil Florence, who committed to the Tigers earlier this month. That pairing opens the door for a compelling storyline: two former Oregon teammates possibly starting on opposite sides of the field in the SEC.
For Missouri, it’s a savvy pickup. Laulea brings length, experience, and a chip on his shoulder - the kind of player who could thrive in a new system with a clean slate. He’s expected to have one year of eligibility remaining, barring a medical redshirt, and the Tigers are betting that his best football might still be ahead of him.
It’s a low-risk, high-upside move for a program looking to stay competitive in an increasingly loaded SEC. And for Laulea, it’s a chance to prove he belongs on the big stage.