Former West Virginia Defensive Back Will Davis Dies at 22

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Davis family and Sam Houston football.

WVU Footbal

Sunday evening, the Sam Houston football team announced the passing of defensive back William Davis at the age of 22. The cause of death has not been made public at this time.

We are deeply saddened by the passing of William Davis. All of our thoughts and prayers are with the Davis family today. pic.twitter.com/yam9idMERc

— Sam Houston Football (@BearkatsFB) May 18, 2026

Shortly after the news went public, Sam Houston head coach Phil Longo made a post on X, saying, "It is with heavy hearts that we mourn the loss of Will Davis. Will was a beloved member of our FB family who touched the lives of everyone he knew. He was a super passionate young man who will be sincerely missed. Tanya & I are praying for Will’s family during this difficult time."

Before transferring to Sam Houston, Davis spent the 2025 season with West Virginia. He made one appearance on the year, seeing action in the season opener against Robert Morris, but did not record any stats. He was someone the coaching staff viewed as a valuable member of the scout team on defense and special teams.

Prior to joining the Mountaineers, Davis spent five years at Virginia Union, a Division II school. The 2020 season did not count toward his eligibility due to the pandemic, and in 2021, he took a redshirt. As a redshirt freshman in 2022, he began to play his way into the mix, checking into ten games and registering 21 tackles, five tackles for a loss, two interceptions, a forced fumble, and one sack. In his final two seasons there, he played extremely well and caught the attention of teams at the next level, combining for 94 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, seven interceptions, two sacks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.

When Davis announced that he would be transferring from West Virginia to Sam Houston, he stated, “Sam Houston felt like home from the moment I first set foot on campus. 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. The ability to play for Coach Daovonte Edwards, someone with experience playing in the NFL that can show me the blueprint of what it looks like to become the player who can achieve success at the highest level, was a motivating factor for me as well.”

Seeing news like this hurts your heart. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Davis family, his friends, teammates, and the Sam Houston football team during this difficult time.