What Drew Transfer OL Julian Armella to UCLA?

The former Florida State Seminole comes to UCLA as a projected starter in the offensive trenches.

Dec 2, 2023; Charlotte, NC, USA; Florida State Seminoles offensive lineman Julian Armella (72) and tight end Jimmy Casey (47) celebrate winning the ACC Championship against the Louisville Cardinals at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Former Florida State offensive lineman-turned-UCLA transfer Julian Armella was part of a massive offseason for DeShaun Foster and the Bruins through the transfer portal.

Armella was part of UCLA's 20th-ranked transfer class in the nation, and he detailed what drew him to Westwood during Saturday's media availability.

"When I came up here on my visit, Coach Fos and all of the other coaching staff that was still on site, the energy, the brotherhood and the culture that I saw amongst the guys in the locker room is something I've never seen before," Armella said. "The united-ness of having everybody, whether it be DBs and wide receivers or D-linemen and O-linemen all mixing with each other, that was something pretty cool that you don't find that everywhere."

Dec 2, 2023; Charlotte, NC, USA; Florida State Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell is doused in Gatorade by offensive lineman Julian Armella (72) after winning the ACC Championship against the Louisville Cardinals at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Culture and camaraderie are common themes that drew many of UCLA's transfers to Westwood this offseason. In Foster's first full offseason, it seems his quest to make his program a location players want to play has paid off well, not only in the portal, but in recruiting, as well.

Armella is a former four-star talent out of Florida. It didn't take long for the Bruins to acquire the former Seminole; he announced his transfer commitment quickly after visiting Westwood. Armella is projected to start for UCLA at right guard.

Projected Starting Offensive Line

One of the hottest topics out of fall camp has been the turnover and projected starting five in the offensive trenches. Between key transfers and impact returners, though, Foster says a starting five is already set.

"I think I have a pretty good assessment on who's going to be the starting five," Foster said during Wednesday's media availability. "[Now] we're just getting to the top-12, top-11 guys, so it's getting to that point."

Nov 30, 2024; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins offensive linemen Garrett DiGiorgio (72) and Josh Carlin (54) during the second quarter against the Fresno State Bulldogs at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

If the starting five is the same as the group that's been taking the most reps together during camp, UCLA's front five will likely be Courtland Ford (LT), Eugene Brooks (LG), Oluwafunto Akinshilo (C), Armella (RG) and Garrett Digiorgio (RT).

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