Junior College DB Sione Laulea Earns Offer From UCLA Football

After one season at the junior college level, a rangy cornerback has attracted even more Power Five interest.

UCLA football has sent an offer to College of San Mateo defensive back Sione Laulea III, the JUCO prospect announced Wednesday night on Twitter. The 6-foot-4, 185-pound prospect now has more than a dozen FBS programs pursuing him.

Laulea's other offers are from BYU, Utah, Oregon, Miami (FL), USC, USF, Florida State, San Jose State, Arizona, Iowa State, Penn State, Illinois, Colorado, Louisville and Oklahoma.

So thankful and blessed to be able to announce that i’ve received a D1 scholarship from UCLA!!#GoBruins #ogisdbu #csmisdbu @Ogthetruth @coachTcsm @Coach_Sekona @BrandonHuffman @JUCOFFrenzy @CSM_Football pic.twitter.com/cCpYerR4rY
— Sione Laulea lll (@TheRealSione04) May 18, 2023

BYU and Miami hosted Laulea on visits in March.

According to 247Sports' Bruin Report Online, Laulea is planning to sign with a school in December and enroll in January 2024. The defensive back has three years of eligibility remaining.

Laulea earned an offer from Sacramento State coming out of Junipero Serra High School (CA), and he also took a visit to San Diego State. Former UCLA receiver Darius Bell was Laulea's offensive coordinator at Junipero Serra, which also produced UCLA offensive lineman Atonio Mafi and future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady.

Despite that interest, the three-star recruit took the junior college route instead.

Laulea recorded 15 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and one interception across 10 games in 2022. Laulea and the College of San Mateo won the California Community College Athletic Association state championship after beating Riverside 55-0 on Dec. 10.

Across the final six contests of the season, the Bulldogs' defense allowed 4.1 points per game.

UCLA has added two JUCO players to its roster this offseason, with College of the Sequoias (CA) offensive tackle Caleb Walker committing in January and Cabrillo College (CA) safety Zeke Thomas committing in March.

The Bruins had previously gone two cycles without bringing in a JUCO or community college player. Inside linebacker Caleb Johnson and edge rusher Mitchell Agude came to UCLA in 2020 before transferring to Miami in 2022.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF SIONE LAULEA/INSTAGRAM