Funeral held in New Jersey for UGA offensive lineman Devin Willock
NEW MILFORD, New Jersey (WABC) -- Devin Willock was everything any parent wants in their child.
Many of those paying tribute used the word "different" to describe the 6'7," 335-pound offensive lineman who grew up in New Milford, New Jersey.
"Always positive, never negative about anything, that's that kind of kid he was," said John Whitehead, Former Football Coach at Paramus Catholic High School.
Willock went to Paramus Catholic High School and from there to the University of Georgia.
Members of the football team traveled from Athens, Georgia to show their love and deep sorrow.
"He impacted my life personally, but the beacon of light that everyone talks about, he lit up our entire organization and our entire building on a daily basis," said Kirby Smart, University of Georgia Football Coach.
Willock was a passenger in a vehicle that was involved in a crash on January 15 that claimed his life and another member of the University of Georgia, recruiter Chandler LeCroy.
It happened just hours after Willock posted video of himself with teammates at a big celebration for the team's national championship.
Now his team members are saying so long to a young man whose life had so much promise.
"You never said that Devin tried to portray toughness, although he was extremely tough. He never tried to be the smartest man in the room, but he probably was," Smart said.
Georgia offensive lineman Warren McClendon will wear the number of his late teammate in the Senior Bowl.
Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy wrote on Twitter that McClendon will wear No. 77 in Willock's honor after donning No. 70 during his three years as a Georgia starter.
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