News / Derrik Allen

Former Notre Dame safety Derrik Allen announces transfer to Georgia Tech

Just three days ago Notre Dame safety Derrik Allen announced he would be leaving Notre Dame immediately while seeking a transfer.  The redshirt freshman today announced he would be going back to his home state with the Georgia Tech winning his transfer services.

 

 

 



Allen, the former 4-star recruit who was rated one of the best prospects in the 2018 Notre Dame class, will have to sit out a season despite red shirting last year.

Allen decided to part ways with Notre Dame one week into fall camp because he wasn't in the 2-deep at a stacked safety position.  At the time Allen was seen as the 5th option behind starters Alohi Gilman and Jalen Elliott.  Last week saw freshman sensation Kyle Hamilton make an immediate impact at the safety position in practice to vault Allen on the depth chart.  To see a fellow Georgia peach product in Hamilton immediately jump you on the depth chart had to be jarring for Allen.

My honest assessment of Allen coming out of high school was that he would probably outgrow the safety position.  Allen's frame (6'1 and 205 lbs) looked like it would fill out to a linebacker in the near future.  During Allen's redshirt season he gained the "freshman 15" to put him around 220 which in today's game is too big for safety.  I'd be surprised if he sticks at safety in college.

While Notre Dame loses a player who could have easily made the 2-deep next season with the impending graduations of Gilman and Elliott Georgia Tech picks up another big time recruit.  First year GT head coach Geoff Collins has been looking into locking down the "404" area code in Atlanta which is where Allen is from (Marietta's Lassiter High School).  Allen will get his chance to play vs the Blue and Gold in 2020 when Notre Dame travels to Atlanta to play Tech in the Mercedez Benz Stadium.  Allen will also get a chance to play in Notre Dame Stadium when Tech travels to South Bend the following season.

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