The 2025 NFL Draft just wrapped up, with a total of 257 players selected over the three-day selection event. For the college football players who didn’t get drafted or latch onto a 90-man roster, it’s time to make other career plans, but one former Miami Hurricanes and Maryland Terrapins player’s career path after college football just took a big turn.
According to Fox 35 Orlando’s Abigail Lafferty, former Miami and Maryland safety Avantae Williams has been arrested “in connection with a deadly shooting” that occurred on Saturday morning at McCabe’s Bar in DeLand, Florida.
The 24-year-old Williams has been identified as the lead suspect in the shooting and police have since charged him with second-degree murder.
The victim, 32-year-old Keshod Harris, was shot seven times in his chest following an altercation at the aforementioned bar. Another victim was shot in both of their hands while attempting to break up the fight, though they did not lose their life like Harris did.
After the shooting, Williams decided to flee the scene, sparking a full-fledged investigation by the local police department’s Criminal Investigations Division, who quickly obtained an arrest warrant for Williams.
While the altercation is known, police are still working to identify what led to the deadly scuffle. Authorities don’t even know if Harris was the shooter’s intended target. Whether there are any more suspects involved is currently unknown but the investigation is ongoing.
Williams played his first two seasons with the Hurricanes, appearing in 17 games before transferring to Maryland and making five more appearances in 2023. Williams was a highly sought-after recruit in high school, grading as the 45th-best prospect in the country and the nation’s No. 2 ranked safety. He did not play in 2024.
Related: Predicting NFL playoff teams and Super Bowl 2026 winner
