Devin Willock had a heart 'bigger than his stature' – Kirby Smart

Devin Willock had a playing height and weight of 6’7″, 335 pounds. In a room of towering Georgia offensive lineman, head coach Kirby Smart couldn’t help but notice the New Jersey Dawg who stood above the rest.

Those measurements alone won’t shape Smart’s lasting memory of the late Georgia football player.

Something more substantial existed beneath Devin Willock‘s Georgia shoulder pads. It surpassed the breadth of his massive wingspan.

“Bigger than his stature, as we all know who knew Dev, was his heart,” Smart said at Willock’s Celebration of Life ceremony on Friday.

“This guy’s heart was so big. He cared so much. Treated everybody with respect all the time. You could coach a lifetime and never have a kid that did it right. We talk about lists at our place, not being on the list. Missing a class or missing an event. I love these young men, but most of them have been on a list. Devin was never on a list. He did what he was supposed to do. He was there on time. Always respectful. We love Dev. We love Dev for what he stood for.”

The essence of Devin Willock’s heart is still very much alive and on the minds of his Georgia football teammates and coaches

Both of Willock’s offensive line coaches at Georgia had a role in honoring his life on Friday.

Matt Luke said a prayer at the start of the ceremony. Stacy Searels shared his own unique assessment of what made Devin Willock tick.

“It’s usually not a great trait of an offensive lineman to be the nicest kid around. But Devin Willock’s the nicest kid I’ve ever coached,” Searels said.

There was some trepidation on Willock’s end when Searels took the offensive line job leading up to the 2022 football season.

“Devin wasn’t sure. He wasn’t sure about me. He wasn’t sure about his opportunity. And we sat there and talked, and I said, ‘Devin, just one day at a time. Just breathe, man. Just breathe.’ And man, did he thrive.”

By the time their season ended, Willock had another National Championship to his name, and an irreplaceable bond in Georgia’s offensive line room

The scholarship players in Georgia’s O-Line room pooled their funds together to make sure their non-scholarship teammates could eat the same meals they did.

Searels gave Willock credit for that push.

“Devin was right at the heart of that. Because he was such a good person, and they cared about each other. I told these guys, ‘I’m proud to be your coach. I’m proud to be a part of this unit.’ And I’m proud to be a part of what Devin Willock stood for.”

The men who stood and sweated and strained beside Willock will never forget him, either

Center Sedrick Van Pran noted that he had the pleasure of playing to the left and right of Devin’s guard spots.

“He always had an outlook on life that, no matter what, he was going to find a way to be positive about it. I genuinely just want to say that the family and the community of Jersey should be really proud of the young man that you helped raise. Because he was so proud of you all, and what you all did for him,” Van Pran said.

Warren Ericson expressed his gratitude for the faith that makes it possible to see his teammate again

And he underscored Willock’s desire to serve while he was here.

“Usually three times a summer, we would do O-Line cookouts, grilling out steaks and burgers. He was the first to text in the group message, ‘What can I bring?’ He was always the first one there. ‘How can I help? How can I clean up? Do you need me to take the trash out?’ He was always that person,” Ericson said.

Willock helped Ericson move a bunch of heavy furniture just a few weeks ago.

Dresser. Bed frame. TV. Everything up two flights of steps. According to Ericson, Willock never complained once.

“The true meaning of love your neighbor as yourself,” Ericson said.

“And I just want to say this, kindness and love for others is not a weakness. I see it as a strength. Devin’s love and kindness for others made him the strongest of all of us.”

Yep. Even in a room full of SEC offensive lineman. There’s no doubt about that.

Kirby Smart regularly tells his players to ‘leave a mark.’

Just by being himself, Devin Willock left one that’s here to stay.