Published Dec 15, 2024
UCLA picks up commitment from ex-Florida State OL Julian Armella
Tracy McDannald Ā ā€¢Ā  BruinBlitz
Staff Writer
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@Tracy_McDannald

The UCLA offensive line has been an area of need each of the past two seasons.

The Bruins now hope some of those past issues have been resolved after landing their second commitment in the transfer portal Sunday.

Julian Armella, who spent the past three seasons at Florida State, announced his commitment to UCLA via social media.

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In the Rivals portal rankings, Armella is rated a three-star prospect and ranked 262nd nationally.

Armella, who has two years of eligibility remaining, joins Arkansas graduate transfer receiver Jaedon Wilson as the Bruinsā€™ additions via the transfer portal.

The 6-foot-6, 325-pound offensive tackle appeared solely on special teams and logged just 13 snaps over seven games this past season for the Seminoles.

In 2023, Armella appeared in six games and logged 49 of 50 snaps primarily at right tackle.

As a freshman, Armella redshirted after playing in four games at left tackle.

The Miami native was rated a four-star recruit and the nationā€™s seventh-best offensive tackle in the 2022 class at Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas.

UCLAā€™s offensive line lost both left guard Spencer Holstege and right guard Josh Carlin to graduation, while left tackle Niki Prongos entered the portal after the season.

The Bruins, who will return center Sam Yoon and right tackle Garrett DiGiorgio, attempted to solve their problems in the portal this past spring.

However, left tackle Reuben Unije and right guard Alani Makihele were both supplanted as starters before the midway point of the season.

In 2024, UCLAā€™s 34 sacks allowed was tied for the second-most in the Big Ten and tied for 20th-most in the country.