THE FLATS – Georgia Tech football officially added four transfers to its roster on Monday. Junior tight end Luke Benson (Chalfont, Pa./Central Bucks West H.S./Syracuse), redshirt sophomore Zach Gibson (Alpharetta, Ga./Johns Creek H.S./Akron), redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Pierce Quick (Trussville, Ala./Hewitt-Trussville H.S./Alabama) and sophomore offensive lineman Paul Tchio (Milton, Ga./Milton H.S./Clemson) all began classes at Georgia Tech on Monday and will begin football activities with the Yellow Jackets this week.
“I’m excited to welcome Luke, Zach, Pierce and Paul to the Georgia Tech football family,” head coach Geoff Collins said. “All four are very talented football players, outstanding students and great young men that will be very valuable members of our football program on and off the field. I can’t wait to get back to work with our team.”
LUKE BENSON (TE, 6-4, 240, Jr., Chalfont, Pa./Central Bucks West H.S./Syracuse)
2019-21 (Syracuse): Played three seasons at Syracuse and has two seasons of eligibility remaining … Appeared in 34 of Syracuse’s 35 games over his three seasons with the Orange, including 10 starts … Caught 19 passes for 261 yards and five touchdowns in three seasons at Syracuse … Earned third-team freshman all-America honors from Pro Football Focus after playing in all 12 games with two starts and catching eight passes for 176 yards and three touchdowns as a true freshman in 2019 … Hauled in a 70-yard touchdown reception against Holy Cross as a freshman, which was the second-longest touchdown catch by a tight end in Syracuse history and the longest since 1961 … Appeared in all 11 games with five starts in 2020, catching six passes for 63 yards and a score … Played in 11-of-12 games with three starts as a sophomore in 2021, catching five passes for 22 yards … Made seven special-teams tackles over three seasons (two in 2019, two in 2020 and three in 2021).
High School: Rated as a three-star prospect by 247Sports and ESPN … Tabbed as the No. 36 tight end in the nation and the No. 32 prospect in the state of Pennsylvania by ESPN … Played both tight end and defensive end … Three-time all-Suburban One League (SOL) selection at tight end, including first-team honors as a junior and senior … Also earned first-team all-SOL accolades at defensive end as a junior … PrepStar all-East Region honoree … Caught 23 passes for 4,044 yards (17.6 avg.) and six touchdowns during prep career, including 12 receptions for 202 yards and four scores as a senior … Also recorded 66 career tackles and nine sacks on defense … Won team’s defensive “Trenchman” award as a senior … Team captain .. Coached by Chaz Cathers and Rob Rowan … Three-sport star also played basketball and ran track … Won conference championship and placed eighth at state championships in 100m dash as a junior.
ZACH GIBSON (QB, 6-3, 210, r-So., Alpharetta, Ga./Johns Creek H.S./Akron)
2019-21 (Akron): Played three seasons at Akron and has three seasons of eligibility remaining … Appeared in 17 games in three years … Completed 226-of-370 passes for 2,471 yards, 15 touchdowns and just eight interceptions in three seasons at Akron … In 2021, led the Zips with 1,262 passing yards and 10 touchdowns in seven games … Recorded a 69.4 completion percentage (109-for-157) with no interceptions … Also rushed for 49 yards … Despite not being full-time starter, drew an impressive 91.2 PFF College Grade for the season Threw for 784 yards and four touchdowns in six games in 2020, passing at a 57.6% clip (76-for-132) … Redshirted as a true freshman in 2019, making four appearances and two starts … Was one of only seven true freshmen to start for Akron in ‘19 … Completed 41-of-81 passes for 425 yards and a touchdown as a true freshman.
High School: Rated as a three-star prospect by 247Sports in 2019 … Four-year starter … Team captain … 2018 All-State Honorable Mention and first-team All-Region … 2018 Team MVP … Helped the Gladiators to 9-2 overall record and 8-0 record in regional play as a senior in ‘18 … Team won 2018 and 2016 regional championships … As a senior, went 164-of-240 for 2,675 yards and 32 touchdowns (and only two interceptions) … Averaged 243.2 passing yards per game … Participated in the 2017 Georgia vs. Texas Sophomore Showdown and the Georgia Elite Classic All-Star Game … As a junior, passed for 1,899 yards and 13 touchdowns … Coached by Matt Helmerich … Also played basketball … Attended same high school as his brother, Georgia Tech signee Tyler Gibson, as well as Tech teammate Cole Neuber.
PIERCE QUICK (OL, 6-5, 280, r-So., Trussville, Ala./Hewitt-Trussville H.S./Alabama)
2019-21 (Alabama): Played three seasons at Alabama and has three seasons of eligibility remaining … Appeared in eight games with the Crimson Tide … Made one appearance in 2021, the season opener against Miami (Fla.) at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium … In 2020, played in three Southeastern Conference games (Texas A&M, Tennessee and Mississippi) … Redshirted in 2019 after making four appearances, including against Duke and South Carolina.
High School: One of the top-rated offensive linemen in the 2019 recruiting cycle … Tabbed as a five-star offensive tackle and the top player in the state of Alabama by ESPN … Rated as the No. 4 offensive tackle and the No. 7 overall player in the nation on ESPN’s prestigious ESPN300 list … Was the 40th-ranked overall player, No. 7 offensive tackle and No. 4 player in the state of Alabama in 247Sports composite rankings … 247Sports ranked him as the No. 73 player nationally and the eighth-rated offensive tackle … Rivals rated him the No. 82 player in the country, the No. 10 offensive tackle and the No. 4 prospect in Alabama … Also tabbed as five-star recruit, the No. 2 offensive tackle and No. 5 overall player nationally and the No. 1 player in Alabama by PrepStar … Selected to play in the Under Armour All-America Game … Participated in Nike’s “The Opening” Finals in Frisco, Texas, in 2018 … Earned first-team all-state accolades as a junior from the Alabama Sports Writers Association (ASWA) … also named first-team all-American as a junior in 2017 by USA Today … Coached by Josh Floyd.
PAUL TCHIO (OL, 6-5, 310, So., Milton, Ga./Milton H.S./Clemson)
2020-21 (Clemson): Played two seasons at Clemson and has three seasons of eligibility remaining … Appeared in 14 games and made one start with the Tigers … Made five appearances in 2021 … Played 19 snaps against then-No. 5 Georgia … Helped Clemson exceed both 200 rushing yards and 200 passing yards with 33 snaps against South Carolina State … Made first collegiate start at NC State, playing 42 snaps … Also appeared against Boston College and Florida State … Played 80 snaps over nine games as a true freshman in 2020 … Made his collegiate debut with 15 snaps in the season opener at Wake Forest on Sept. 12 … Played 24 snaps at Georgia Tech … Also appeared in the ACC Championship Game against then-No. 2 Notre Dame.
High School: Rated as a four-star prospect by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN … Ranked as the No. 85 overall player in the nation, the third-best offensive guard and the ninth-best player in Georgia by 247Sports … Ranked as the No. 143 overall player in the nation, the fifth-best offensive guard and the 15th-best player in Georgia by ESPN … Ranked as the No. 140 overall player, the fourth-best offensive guard and 17th-best player in Georgia by Rivals … Ranked No. 150 overall, the seventh-best offensive guard and 18th-best player in Georgia by PrepStar … Played offensive line and defensive line as a senior, scoring a touchdown and a two-point conversion that year … Earned an Athlete of the Week selection by WSB-TV in Atlanta … Finished with 113 pancake blocks as a junior when he helped Milton to a 13-2 record and the state championship for the first time in school history … As a junior, was a first-team all-state and all-region selection … Selected to U.S. Army All-American Bowl … Adidas All-American selection … North Georgia Lineman of the Year … Outstanding athlete played quarterback in wildcat formations despite weighing 300-plus pounds … Coached at Milton by Adam Clack … Played at Milton H.S. with current Georgia Tech teammates Dylan Leonard, Anthony Minella and Brandon Best.
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