Elite Offensive Tackle Julian Armella Details List of Favorites, Talks Recruitment

Julian Armella is one of the most coveted prospects in the 2022 class. He has received five-star status from Rivals already, and he only has room to grow. Armella has 30 plus Division 1 offers, but he has now cut the list to 10, and he broke down each of the contenders here. 

Julian is the son of Enzo Armella, a former Florida State Seminole in the '90s, and he said of the Noles, " One of the main things that helped me determine to pick Florida State to be on the list is, obviously I might be a legacy, but it is more than that. They have recruited me hard, and they like me for the player I am blessed to be in a situation where I have a great relationship with Coach Norvell and Coach Atkins, the O-line coach. We just bond differently. It is a connection." 

He added on Florida State prioritizing him through the coaching change, "at the end of the day, they offered me in my freshman year, which is insane to have an opportunity from them. Since they have offered, they had a coaching change from Coach Taggart to Coach Norvell, but then they re-offered right away. They have just done a great job of recruiting me." 

Alabama is another school staying in close contact with the South Florida standout. "They basically have always been a big school, and one of those national programs that produce great linemen and sends a lot of dudes to the NFL. As a kid, it is a blessing to watch these schools growing up and have an opportunity to play there. It is just amazing," says Armella.

Armella is communicating the most with offensive line coach, Kyle Flood, at Alabama. 

Florida is another in-state school recruiting Armella heavily, and he said, " I am talking a lot with coach Chaney and (John) Hevesey. They have shown a lot of love, and one thing that helped them get on my top 10, is obviously, they are a Florida school that would be great to stay in-state, but I took a visit, and I was with coach Dan Mullen. He He was introducing me to players and coaches and treating me like his own. That really popped out to me, and ever since that day, it has really stood out to me." 

Miami is the remaining in-state school in the mix, and Armella said on the Hurricanes, " I am talking a lot with Coach Diaz and Coach Justice. They have done a great job of recruiting me. It is about 10 minutes from my house, and that is an advantage. My mom is in love with the school, and she truly admires the way they have been recruiting me. They have been one of those schools that I have watched, and it is a blessing I have the opportunity to play there." 

Tennessee is an SEC school that has caught Armella's eye with their recent hot-streak on the recruiting trail. The coveted tackle said on the Vols, "they have just done a great job of recruiting me. They are blowing up and getting these five-star recruits. They are clearly doing something right. I have great conversations with the o-line coach, and it is kind of like FSU. I have a great connection with them. They show a lot of love, and we keep in contact." 

Armella said on the opportunity to come in and play right away in Knoxville, "It would be a blessing. They have done a pretty good job of producing NFL lineman and guys that go to the league, so it would be a blessing to go play there and start." 

Michigan is one of the two Big Ten teams in the race for Armella, and he said, " they have done a good job of recruiting me. They produce a lot of great offensive lineman, so the fact I have a chance to play there is a blessing. It is a different situation because I have never really experienced the cold weather, but I may or may not visit there officially, but I will visit there unofficially, soon. I am just excited to see what the different environment is like." 

The other Big Ten team in the mix is Ohio State. The Buckeyes have the top class in the country and are looking to build on that in 2020. Armella said on Ryan Day's program, "They have been showing a lot of love. Especially, the o-line and receivers coach. They are killing the game right now, and I mean, they have such a great program. I had some guys from St. Thomas go there, and they have always been one of those schools producing great players, and always doing a great job on and off the field." 

Ohio State's national title run ended at the hands of Clemson this past season, and Dabo Swinney's program has made an early impression on Armella. He said, "recently, they offered, and they don't usually offer guys until June 1st of the Junior year. So, having an offer from them is just an extreme blessing. At the end of the day, they are one of the schools I watched as a kid, and it is just insane that they are one of these national schools and powerhouses that produce linemen, and every position. They are a winning team and a national championship type team. It is a blessing I could have the opportunity to play there one day." 

Clemson's winning streak was ended by LSU in New Orleans in January, and the Tigers have connections to Armella and continue to make their presence felt in his recruitment. He said on Ed Orgeron's program, "the main appeal for them is I have a great relationship with coach Craig and coach Orgeron. They are one of these schools that is a National Championship winning program. I have two dudes that are close friends of mine, Marcus Dumervil and Marlon Martinez. They went up there and signed, and they are telling me nothing but positive things, not just a recruit but as a friend. It is just a blessing to have an opportunity to go there." 

Georgia is another program that Armella has kept his focus on, and he said of the Bulldogs, "we have been talking a lot and O-line U. They are one of the biggest schools that produce offensive linemen. It has been a really good situation between me and them. We have a lot of great conversations and talks. It is great." 

Armella said on what he hopes to achieve in the recruiting process, "it is just finding a place like home. It is a place whenever I go there, one thing my dad told me, is I will be able to really understand and realize where I want to go to school once I visit. He was committed to Miami, and then he went to FSU, and it was no other. Whenever I take my visits, that will be the determining factor. Then, winning and all of that comes in to." 

Armella hopes to major in some form of Business at whichever college he lands at. 

On the field, Armella said of himself as a player, " whenever I am on the field, I am a player that you are going to feel my presence. I am not about the hype. At the end of the day, I put in the work and grind, so I can be the five-star offensive tackle. I want to dawg somebody. At the offensive tackle position, I want to be able to move somebody from point A to point B against their own will." 

Armella concluded by breaking down who he is off the field, saying, "the main thing is a factor is I am a very humble guy. I pray to God every day, and I am thankful for the position I am in. I am a hard worker, and I stay in touch with my grades. I am in a good situation right now. 

The 2022 prospect measures in at 6'6, 295lbs, and he will play his Junior season at Gulliver Prep (FL)