William Davis, who recently joined Sam Houston State as a defensive back after transferring from West Virginia, succumbed to gunshot wounds to his chest, as reported by TMZ.
Sam Houston State announced Davis’s tragic death in a statement on Sunday. He was only 22 years old.
The Virginia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner informed the outlet that the exact circumstances surrounding his death are still under investigation, leaving uncertainty about whether it was a homicide.
Details regarding the cause and circumstances of Davis’s death remained undisclosed in the immediate aftermath.
“We are profoundly saddened by the passing of William Davis. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Davis family during this difficult time,” expressed Sam Houston State University in a statement.
Head football coach Phil Longo added, “It is with heavy hearts that we mourn the loss of Will Davis.”
Former West Virginia defensive back William Davis died from a gunshot wound to his chest
A cause of death wasn’t released when Davis’ death was announced on SundayÂ
Davis starred for three seasons at Division-II Virginia Union, an HBCU in his home state, where he earned all-conference honors in the 2024 campaign
‘Will was a beloved member of our Bearkat football family here at Sam Houston who touched the lives of everyone he knew.
‘Will was an upbeat, positive, passionate young man who will be sincerely missed. Tanya, the kids and I are praying for Will’s family during this difficult time.’
Davis had transferred to Sam Houston State this offseason from West Virginia with the hopes of playing out one more season of college football.Â
Prior to West Virginia, Davis played three seasons with Division II Virginia Union, an HBCU program in Richmond.
Davis earned all-conference honors for the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) and tallied 56 tackles, 11.5 tackles for a loss, a pair of interceptions and a sack in 2024.
He then transferred to West Virginia, where he only played the team’s season-opener against Robert Morris.Â
After that, he decided to switch to Sam Houston State in January – moving to Huntsville, Texas to begin spring practices for the Bearkats.
‘Sam Houston felt like home from the moment I first set foot on campus,’ Davis said in February after his commitment to SHSU, according to the Houston Chronicle.Â
Davis transferred from Virginia Union to West Virginia, but played in just one gameÂ
 He transferred to Sam Houston State in January with the hopes of playing one more season
‘As a Virginia kid that had played every snap of football in my life within driving distance of home, it was important to me that I’d play somewhere where I fit seamlessly into the culture if I was going to be so distant geographically.
‘My leadership and football IQ will help me be an anchor for our secondary throughout this upcoming season.’
Tributes to Davis poured in across social media – especially in the comments under his Instagram posts where followers mourned his passing.
Nilson Sports, the NIL agency Davis was working with, posted, ‘More than a client, William Davis was a remarkable young man who left an impact on everyone fortunate enough to know him. Our thoughts and prayers are with Will’s family, friends, teammates, and all who loved him. Rest In Peace.’
‘Amazing Human, rest peacefully Will,’ posted his NIL agent, Tristen Kuhn.
‘Gutted for Will’s Family,’ posted Luke Bengston – a wide receivers coach at South Dakota State who worked with Davis at Virginia Union.Â
‘Terrific young man and leader. Made others around him better. Connected with all of his teammates/coaches on a personal level. And did it all with that megawatt smile.’
