AUBURN, Ala. – Senior cornerback Devin Guice has bled orange and blue from the very beginning.
Not only did he grow up in nearby Opelika, Guice had an important role model who previously played for the Tigers. From 2004-07, his cousin Eric Brock took the field for Auburn at safety, not knowing he was influencing young Devin to do the same years later as part of the secondary.
Enrolling at Auburn in 2016 to major in forestry, Guice was offered the opportunity to walk on to the football team.
"I always heard bad things about being a walk-on," Guice recalled. "But when I tried out I was treated like an equal. I was always told to just work hard and the coach will notice you, and that is exactly what happened."
Now six seasons later, Guice is still playing football for the Tigers and preparing for his super senior season, taking advantage of an extra year of eligibility resulting from the pandemic.
"The fact that COVID gave me another year to play made me more appreciative of this opportunity and made me realize how fast time flies," Guice said. "I just think about how I really didn't get to play that much and now I have another opportunity.
"It feels like a blessing in disguise, because now I get another chance to get a shot to play in the NFL. That's my whole dream."
Guice embraces the opportunity to prove himself to first-year head coach Bryan Harsin and his staff.
"My teammates and I have actually grown closer together, because we're all trying to win a championship and exceed expectations for ourselves," he said. "It is making us more of a tight-knit program as a whole, because we are all reaching for the same goal."
Guice enjoys the bonds he's developed with teammates while also expanding his friend group beyond athletics.
"A lot of my close friends from college don't play football; they don't play any sports at all. That is something I can say is very important to me," he said. "The fact that I have a variety of friends goes to show a lot of people at Auburn care about you as a football player, but more importantly as a person."
His hometown may be minutes away, but Guice has found a second home at Auburn, one he says exceeded his expectations.
"It taught me how to be a man. This campus and family have truly impacted my life," he said. "Auburn is concerned about making you into a better human being, so that's the biggest thing I am going to take away from being here."
Guice encourages prospective student-athletes to consider Auburn.
"This is the biggest decision you will ever make and choosing Auburn will be the best decision," he said. "It will be the best decision not only for athletics, but for academics, too. Our coaches make sure you are a well-rounded Auburn Man by the time you graduate."
The importance of education that was instilled in him from an early age continues. Guice earned his bachelor's degree in May 2020 in forestry and is currently working on a second undergraduate degree in sustainable biomaterials and packaging. After his football career, he hopes to work with an athletics apparel company.
"My dad would always tell me if it's for you, it's for you," he said. "If God willed it to happen, it will happen and nobody can take it away. It means a lot to be an Auburn Man."
Cambrie Berard is a student worker in Auburn Athletics media relations.