Georgia Tech Football: Former Jacket Derrick Morgan retires from NFL

Former Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket star defensive lineman Derrick Morgan has decided to hang up his cleats and gear after nine seasons in the NFL.

Morgan, a Pennsylvania native cane to The Flats as part of their best class if the recruiting rankings era in 2007. During his recruitment, Morgan was considered a four-star prospect, a top-100 player nationally, and the best player in the state of Pennsylvania.

Morgan made an immediate impact with the program, playing in a reserve role but still appearing in 12 games that season. While he only had nine tackles that season the experience allowed him to tremendously grow into his sophomore season. That year he collected 51 tackles on the season, including 9.5 tackles for a loss and seven sacks.

Heading into his junior season in 2009, expectations were high but he surely exceeded those expectations. En route to All-American honors that season, Morgan racked up just four more total tackles at 55 that season but saw his tackles for a loss and sack numbers explode. He finished with 18.5 tackles for a loss and 12.5 sacks as a junior.

After his breakout junior season, Morgan declared for the 2009 NFL Draft. That year, he was selected 16th overall by the Tennessee Titans.   Tennessee ultimately would be the only place that Morgan would call home in his professional career, playing all nine seasons in Nashville.

Over those nine seasons, Morgan had 305 career tackles, 54 tackles for a loss and 45 career sacks. He also forced five fumbles and recovered five during his career with the Titans. While he was never an elite defensive end during his career, he was a consistent high quality defensive end who provided the Titans a tremendous asset for most of his career.

Yellow Jacked Up wishes Derrick the best of luck in his future endeavors.