Sione Laulea III, Nation's No. 1 JUCO Prospect, Sets Commitment Date
2024 College of San Mateo (Calif.) cornerback Sione Lauleaa III has set a commitment date.
The nation's No. 1 junior college prospect will announce his college commitment on October 8 at 5:00 pm PT, according to story posted on his instagram page.
He'll choose from a final three of the Oregon Ducks, USC Trojans and the Miami Hurricanes.
Laulea is rated a four-star (0.9000) recruit by the 247Sports Composite Juco. The same system ranks him the No. 1 player nationally, the No. 1 cornerback and the No. 1 recruit in California.
Listed at 6'4", 185 pounds, his unique blend of size, speed and agility is part of what helped him garner 18 reported scholarship offers.
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In the months leading up to his college commitment he took official visits to Oregon, USC, Penn State, Miami and Utah.
Oregon wasn't considered much of a contender in his recruitment until he took his final official visit to Eugene in June, and the Ducks, led by defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi and cornerbacks coach Demetrice Martin, showed him that he has a home in Eugene and can be developed into an NFL cornerback.
"But as soon as I got to put my own two feet on the campus, I got to see the true development and true love behind the coaching staff," Laulea told Ducks Digest of the trip. "Coach Tosh Lupoi, he was well-invested in in my time being there. He almost didn't leave my side. Which meant a lot to me."
Further aiding Oregon's chances in this recruitment is the development of cornerback Christian Gonzalez, who was selected by the New England Patriots in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. In the short few weeks since the NFL season began, Gonzalez has put the league on notice, grabbing his first interception and registering his first NFL sack.
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But Martin's trail of strong cornerback development doesn't stop there, as Oregon cornerbacks Khyree Jackson and Jahlil Florence have been instrumental in the Ducks' defense showing so much promise in 2023.
Oregon has commitments from two cornerbacks in the 2024 recruiting class. Gardena (Calif.) Serra cornerback Dakoda Fields flipped from USC to Oregon over the summer, and Baltimore (Md.) St. Frances Academy cornerback Ify Obidegwu pledged to the Ducks in early May, before his teammate Michael Van Buren opted to team up at the next level.
Demetrice Martin is among the best recruiters anywhere on the West Coast, while Lupoi is as connected as any in the East Bay Area, where he grew up.
Time will tell if Laulea wants to play his college ball in Eugene, but the Ducks certainly have a great shot here.