Georgia Tech Football: Meet the Newcomers - Interior O-Line

Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

I got plenty of respect for O-linemen. They have one of the toughest jobs on the field and they rarely get recognition for the effort they put in. Even though fans may not notice them out on the field people need to put more respect on the names. This year we have 4 new names joining up with the Jackets. 2 of them are transfers from premier programs, 1 is a in state talent from down the road in Alpharetta, and 1 is a talented player coming from across the country to play at Georgia Tech.

It’s fair to say that the O-line for Georgia Tech has been one of many areas which need improvement. These new recruits seem to have the talent to achieve the improvement fans are hoping for. I’m looking forward to seeing them contribute so lets get into the details.

Paul Tchio: 6’5” 310 lbs Sophomore transfer from Clemson (Hometown Alpharetta, GA)

Paul Tchio played 2 years on the Clemson O-line. He played in 5 games last year with snaps against a certain school from Athens, NC State, Boston College, Florida, and South Carolina State.

Paul is fast despite his size and excels at run blocking. At a Highschool level Paul was ranked as the 9th best player being recruited out of Georgia and finished his 2019 season with 113 pancake blocks. While at Milton Highschool Tchio played along side another name on this list in Brandon Best.

Tchio never gives up on a play until its over and knows how to get downfield. I expect Tchio to be a major contributor in the next few years on the O-line.

Pierce Quick: 6’5” 287 lbs Redshirt Sophomore from University of Alabama

(Hometown Trussville, AL)

First thing you notice about Pierce is that he has a great name. It’s not all about the moniker though. Pierce was a 5 start recruit listed as the No. 5 overall player in the nation coming out of highschool. Despite being leaner than some of his counterparts Pierce has great speed (as the name implies) and solid technique, particularly out of the shotgun formation. Pierce is another fun player to watch out for. Expect Pierce to get some serious playing time at Georgia Tech.

Brandon Best: 6’4” 300 lbs Freshman from Milton Highschool Alpharetta, GA

Another great name joining the team. Brandon Best came out of Milton Highschool where he actually played along side Paul Tchio. Brandon was ranked as the no. 33 offensive lineman in the nation during the recruiting process.

Brandon is an aggressive blocker who takes it to the opposing defenders. Brandon is a great pass blocker and can be a matchup nightmare for opponents because of how he never quits on a play.

I don’t expect Brandon to get immediate playtime this year, but he could be an important player in the next few years for Georgia Tech.

Bobby Mooney: 6’7” 330 lbs Freshman from Woodrow Wilson Highschool Long Beach, CA

I’ll be completely honest, I don’t have much to go on for Bobby Mooney. Bobby is a big (figuratively and literally) 3 star recruit who is marked as the #148 OT in the nation. Unfortunately I couldn’t find many highlights for Bobby Online. What I did see shows a talented pass blocker who will need to continue developing his footwork, but has the potential to push around defenders. Expect Bobby spend a year redshirted and hopefully develop his skills going into 2023.

Overall there are no promises with the current O-line situation, but I think there is plenty of hope to be found going forward. The new talent which has been brought in this year gives us a sign that maybe things are looking up. So even though you may not usually pay attention, keep an eye on our blockers next year and expect to see some improvement in protecting our offensive weapons.