The UCLA football team’s biggest problem area on offense has received a boost.

Texas offensive lineman Jake Raulerson announced on Monday that he will transfer to UCLA. As a graduate transfer, Raulerson will be eligible to play immediately.

Raulerson was particularly coveted because he comes with two seasons of eligibility, a rarity among graduate transfers. Raulerson earned his degree from Texas in three years, and redshirted his first season. He is expected to enroll in UCLA’s business school.

Raulerson will be the favorite to start at center for UCLA, a position that suddenly became a need after the transfer of Fred Ulu-Perry before the Foster Farms Bowl. Ulu-Perry had been expected to compete for the starting position after the departure of four-year starter Jake Brendel.


The addition of Raulerson frees Scott Quessenberry to shift to guard. Quessenberry, who started mainly at guard in 2014 before an injury sidelined him last season, may have been called upon to play center.

At Texas, Raulerson started five games as a freshman in 2014 — four at center. He saw the field less often in 2015, when he appeared in eight games. But the 6-foot-4, 295-pound lineman was expected to compete for Texas’ starting center position before transferring.

Raulerson had also considered Stanford and Michigan.

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