Paul Tchio is a starting offensive lineman for Milton High School in Alpharetta. The 6-foot-5, 270-pound senior is the No. 4 offensive guard in the country and 12th overall player in the state, according to the 247Sports Composite. Tchio has garnered the attention of some of the top football programs in the nation but ultimately decided to commit to Clemson, where he received his official scholarship offer in August. 

Tchio describes his senior year as being long with ups and downs after losing three games early in the season, but the Eagles were able to come together as a team to get back on track. That teamwork will go down in the Milton history books because they won the region championship for the second year in a row, the first time in school history that has happened. 

Coach Adam Clack led the Eagles to a state championship victory over powerhouse Colquitt County in 2018. Milton was eliminated in the second round by Marietta.

We caught up with the offensive standout to ask him a few questions.

What does this team mean to you? “It means the world to me because I’ve been here my whole life and being able to play here means everything to me. It’s just me and my brothers leaving our marks with our legacy and our school means everything to us.”

What is it like playing for Coach Clack? “He’s definitely a player’s coach. He came in not trying to take over our culture but to adapt to our culture and give his input and build onto that culture here. You can definitely see it now with how we carry ourselves, not just on the field but throughout the school as well. He definitely changed a lot here off the field, which has impacted us tremendously on the field.”

Why did you commit to Clemson? “Clemson approached me differently than the other schools during my recruitment. They really took their time with me and built good solid relationships, and just made me feel at home. When it was time for me to make my decision, I just felt most comfortable and at home with Clemson.”

Who is your role model? My role model is LeBron James because he’s just another kid that got out of the mud and made something of himself and built such a great legacy. He’s a worldwide name that everybody knows. Another thing that I look up to him for is the fact that he gives back. He is a very selfless person and likes to give back to the community.”

What is it like to play under the lights at Milton each week? “It’s truly special the way that the community supports us, and throughout the whole school too. The principal, the athletic director and all of the teachers and administrators have our back every Friday and it’s amazing.”

Follow Tchio on Twitter @paul__taco