The mean streak comes naturally. So does the love for garnet and gold.

Julian Armella was born with both of those traits, says his father, Enzo, a defensive lineman for the Seminoles in the early 1990s.

And when Julian signed a National Letter of Intent to play for his dad's alma mater last week, becoming the first five-star offensive lineman in the history of the Rivals.com rankings to sign with Florida State, his dad was overjoyed.

"It's the best feeling in the world," said Enzo, who played noseguard for FSU from 1991 to 1994. "I've always known he'd be a Seminole, but for him to actually be one is the greatest gift of all."

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Even though he desperately wanted his son to choose FSU after a lengthy recruiting process that involved many of the top programs in the country, Enzo says he made sure to distance himself during the process. He wanted his son to make his own decision, without feeling pressure from his father.

Of course, Enzo says, he would have supported Julian's decision no matter where he chose to attend school. He remembers how much pressure he got when he was going through the recruiting process out of high school in Miami three decades ago. So, he made sure not to push FSU on his son.

"I didn't want to persuade or dissuade him from going anywhere," the father said.

Enzo has a unique perspective not only on Florida State football, but on the sport in general.

He played defensive line for Mickey Andrews. In his final year at Florida State, which was cut short due to a season-ending injury, Enzo was listed at 6 feet tall and 254 pounds. And he was starting at noseguard for the reigning national champions.

To be that size and contribute for the No. 1 team in America means you absolutely had to play with a nasty streak.

Enzo laughs when that's brought up to him now. And he definitely doesn't deny it.

He says he sees it in his son, too. Even though they play different positions.

"He was born with that (mean streak)," Enzo said of Julian. "He had it. But I also tried to cultivate it. Because that's all I knew. ... When you're a noseguard and you're teaching your son how to play offensive line, it's all about aggressiveness. I didn't know any other way.

"And he's always been aggressive. But I taught him how to play offensive line ... as a noseguard, if that makes sense."

Enzo said he purposefully held Julian out of football until he was 12 years old. Instead, the son played basketball and jumped rope. Lots and lots of jumping rope.

"He can do the speed rope like nobody's business," Enzo said.

The basketball and rope-jumping made Julian light on his feet, his dad said, and gave him an athleticism that most big kids don't possess. Plus, he got some athleticism naturally too. And a love for football.

Enzo said his son begged him to play the sport throughout his elementary school years.

"I didn't want him to play too early," Enzo said. "I played with a bunch of guys that by the time they got to FSU, they were just burned out. They were great athletes, but they were burned out. So, I didn't want to start him too early."

Finally, when the decision was made that Julian would be putting on shoulder pads for the first time, Enzo says he went out in the backyard with him one day to run through some quick drills. Just to see what kind of instincts he had, and what he needed to work on.

What Enzo witnessed was a moment he says he'll never forget.

He told Julain to get in his OL stance. And he wanted to see how he came off the ball in a one-on-one drill.

"I get chills just thinking about it," Enzo said. "He kick-stepped. And put his hands up. I never taught him that. And he just kick-stepped and put his hands up. And I was like, 'Holy crap.' Because I knew he was a natural. I get chills thinking about it. ...

"I just said, 'All right, Julian, let's see what you got.' And he did that. Right there in the backyard. And I was like, 'Wow.'"

Now here they are several years later.

Julian is considered one of the best high school offensive linemen in America -- Rivals lists him as the No. 2 offensive tackle -- and he soon will be wearing the garnet and gold that he was born into.

And his dad couldn't be prouder.

"What father wouldn't want his son to follow in his footsteps?" Enzo said. "It really is the best feeling in the world."

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