Devin Kirkwood: A Beloved Bruin Son is Pursuing Something Bigger than Himself

After wrapping up his UCLA career, Bruins defensive back Devin Kirkwood took time to reflect on his journey from Inglewood to the Rose Bowl.

Oct 21, 2023; Stanford, California, USA; UCLA Bruins defensive back Devin Kirkwood (3) before the game against the Stanford Cardinal at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

UCLA defensive back and a native son of Southern California, Devin Kirkwood, has done a lot of living in his short time on this planet and while he still has his whole life ahead of him, these next five months are critical to realizing a childhood dream.

One of the select few privileged enough to play football and not just at the collegiate level but at the highest level there is for players his age, Kirkwood is once again attempting to defy the odds and make it to the NFL. Despite offers from all over the country, the Junipero Serra graduate committed to UCLA over intense recruiting from rival USC and then Pac-12 opponent Arizona State.

I had an opportunity to speak with Kirkwood recently. He's currently a man on the move, traveling around the country and preparing for the NFL Draft.

In our conversations about his collegiate career, I asked Kirkwood why UCLA was the place for him. His answer, much like his play, was straightforward and effective.

"I had chosen UCLA because it felt like home and the coaches are big on getting players better," Kirkwood said.

From my conversations with him, home has been a reoccurring theme and when you look at what he does off the field, it makes sense why he ties his future to where he grew up.

Kirkwood spoke about his recruitment, and something that resonated with him was UCLA's commitment to preparing players for life after football. Kirkwood, a known philanthropist, hosts an annual toy drive for kids in Los Angeles who are living in not the most ideal financial situations.

Kirkwood himself came from a single-parent household and no matter how hard a person tries, stretching one person's paycheck for two people is not an easy thing to do. But just because he was a part of a single-parent household does not mean he was alone. It takes a village to raise a child and despite whatever life threw at Kirkwood, growing up, he had himself a community.

And it is in the spirit of his elders that he fundraises for kids. On his toy drive GoFundMe page.

"I have lived in the County of Los Angeles my entire life and have personally watched my mom, family and friends take the necessary steps every year to secure unique Christmas gifts for inner-city youth in hopes of making their holiday season memorable," Kirkwood said. "Many of the children who showed up at the toy drive last year were so excited to receive the gifts collected before the Winter Celebration."

Now that he is becoming an elder in his community, Kirkwood is doing whatever it takes to secure a future for himself, his family, and for the people he grew up around. Kirkwood is doing all he can to secure a place in the NFL because living his dream also means others can live theirs.

For a man who has spent his life in one region, it can be daunting to pursue something greater than yourself in a place that does not resemble home. For Kirkwood, that is simply the price of doing business and for NFL teams looking for a player who has his priorities straight, Kirkwood seems to have never dropped his eyes from accomplishing the things that mean the most.

A shining example of how a Bruin should be, Kirkwood looks to pay it back by paying it forward.

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