Miami (Fla.) Gulliver Prep five-star offensive tackle Julian Armella knows how patient and selective Clemson is when it comes to extending scholarship offers, how the program typically doesn’t offer underclassmen recruits and how it offers far fewer prospects in each cycle than most other schools in the present recruiting landscape.

So when Armella received an offer from Clemson on Tuesday, becoming one of the first O-linemen in the 2022 class to earn an offer from the Tigers, it really meant a lot to him.

“Realistically an offer from Clemson truly means something,” Armella said to The Clemson Insider. “It’s an accomplishment, but it’s also motivation to show that you have to keep working because they don’t offer any young kids or young athletes until junior year or June 1st (before junior year). So, the fact that I was one of the first guys and first couple ones to get an offer from Clemson is just a blessing and I’m so grateful.”

The offer from the Tigers was conveyed to Armella (6-6, 300) by offensive line coach Robbie Caldwell and Armella’s area recruiter, Brent Venables.

“The main things they told me was it’s not just an offer that they throw around,” Armella said. “They don’t really offer the whole world. So, they said that I check off basically every box and everything that they’re looking for as a hardworking young man and somebody who can grind and have a motivation.”

Armella has never visited Clemson before, so he hopes to do so after the NCAA dead period ends, as opposed to just taking a virtual visit like many prospects are doing currently with all in-person recruiting suspended through at least July 31 due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

“Hopefully if this pandemic gets situated in the next couple months, I would most definitely plan on trying to get up there,” Armella said. “A virtual tour is something I’ve been looking at. I mean, it’d be awesome, but I really want to get up there physically on campus.”

Armella, whose father, Enzo, was a defensive lineman at Florida State in the early 1990s, is also looking to visit FSU again and has a couple of other schools in mind that he might get to as well after on-campus recruiting opens back up.

“Obviously my dad went to FSU, but I plan on going to FSU because I’ve been in close contact with Coach (Alex) Atkins, the O-line coach there, and Coach (Mike) Norvell,” Armella said “And possibly Alabama and LSU.”

Armella has amassed over 30 offers in total. Along with the aforementioned schools, his list includes Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State, Tennessee and Texas A&M among others.

According to Armella, he plans to release his top 10 soon, and Clemson is a lock to make the cut after offering him.

“I’m still going to keep my recruitment 110-percent wide open for any school to offer and talk to me,” he said. “But they’re one of the top elite programs that obviously athletes like me admire and dream of going to. So, they’ll most definitely be in the top 10, that’s what I can say.”

Clemson’s appeal to Armella, when he considers it as one of his college options, extends beyond the football field.

“One of the main things that pops out to me is that it’s such a school that’s known for obviously football and success and sending dudes to the NFL,” he said. “But also they’re a great culture and a great environment.”

Armella played his first two years of high school football at St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) but is transferring to Gulliver Prep (Miami) in order to be closer to his mother and grandmother.

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