What Can Georgia Tech Expect to See in Safety Derrik Allen?

Georgia Tech was just beginning to turn their wheels with spring practice when the COVID-19 pandemic put an abrupt stop to all collegiate spring sports and events. Although the Yellow Jackets only made it through six spring practices, players such as safety Derrik Allen were able to get their feet wet, compete and showcase their skillsets.

Allen, an Atlanta area native, was rated a four-star prospect and ranked the No. 9 overall safety in the 2018 recruiting cycle. He committed to Notre Dame, but never took the field during his first year with the Fighting Irish. In August 2019, Allen announced via social media his decision to transfer to Georgia Tech, citing "personal reasons."

Due to transfer rules, Allen was not eligible to play for the Yellow Jackets during the 2019 campaign. With three years left of eligibility, Allen adds to a deep Tech secondary in the upcoming season.

All Yellow Jackets caught up with Bryan Driskell (@CoachD178 on Twitter) of SI's IrishBreakdown to discuss what the Jackets can expect out of Allen.

Q: Allen was a highly rated safety out of high school. What was his recruitment like? What other schools was he considering?

Driskell: Notre Dame got on Allen early and then defensive coordinator Mike Elko did a great job getting him into the class early. Georgia, Clemson, Ohio State, Auburn and Michigan all pushed hard to get him on campus, but Allen never wavered.

Allen is a very intelligent young man and his family always stressed the importance of getting a top-notch education. That was a driving force behind his decision to commit to Notre Dame, and when Elko got involved it was a done deal.

Q: During Allen's recruitment, what upsides did Notre Dame notice in him?

Driskell: His combination of length, coverage skills and football IQ were all traits Notre Dame liked about Allen. He played cornerback throughout his career and didn’t move to safety until he was a senior. Those coverage traits translated naturally to safety.

Allen went through a growth spurt around the time he was heading into his senior year through his freshman year at Notre Dame. He had a bit of a tough time adjusting to that, but once he got comfortable he was back on track as a player.

Q: What factors played into Allen transferring from Notre Dame?

Driskell: He was recruited by Mike Elko, who left Notre Dame for Texas A&M before Allen arrived on campus. For whatever reason, the new safety coach never showed much interest in developing Allen. There’s a lot more to it, but that’s not my story to tell. At the end of the day, Allen wanted to be a part of a program where he could get a great education and play for a coach who took an interest in developing him as a young man and a football player.

Q: How does Allen's skillset fit into Andrew Thacker's 4-2-5 defense? How is he against the run? In coverage?

Driskell: One thing I noticed about Thacker’s defense is it stresses the safeties quite a bit, which means the ideal players at the safety position in that defense are smart and versatile players. That’s Derrik Allen. He’s athletic enough to cover tight ends and he can play the middle of the field. He can also run the alleys and while he’s not a thumper, he’s a sound tackler with a big body.

Allen seemed to lose some confidence in his final season at Notre Dame, and if I had to guess it had a lot to do with the fact his position coach didn’t show much faith in him. Talking to a source since his time at Georgia Tech, it sounds like he has regained that confidence and the coaching he’s received with the Yellow Jackets has him back to feeling and looking like the Top 100 recruit he was.

Q: What are Allen's strengths? Areas of concerns?

Allen is a very intelligent, long and instinctive player. When he’s not over-thinking and just trusts his talent, and trusts the coaching, he’s an extremely gifted player. But he’s what you want in a modern safety; he can play the alleys, play man coverage, play the middle of the field, play over top in split-field coverage and play the intermediate zones.

Allen is also a very self-aware player and knows the parts of his game that aren’t as strong. He has good speed but isn’t a burner, so he knows how important timing is, he knows how important taking proper angles are and he knows how important his length is to overcoming any slight advantages other athletes might have on him.

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