Just after kicking off their fall camp ahead of the 2026 season, an HBCU program has been plunged into a state of sadness after losing a former athlete. A few months after playing his final season for the Jackson State Tigers, 23-year-old defensive back Levi Wyatt died in a car crash on Friday, July 31. People close to the family announced the death on social media.

“The bond of this brotherhood does not end when the game clock expires. Today, we mourn the loss of our brother, Levi Wyatt,” the statement by Jackson State said. “His memory will forever live within the halls of Jackson State football and in the hearts of everyone who shared this journey with him.”

“We ask the Tiger nation to join us in lifting his family and loved ones in prayer during this incredibly difficult time. Rest easy, Tiger.”

According to reports, the Vicksburg native had a car accident around 11:45 p.m. on July 31 in Jackson. While withholding additional details about the crash, the Hinds County Coroner’s office revealed it occurred at the intersection of North State Street and Belhaven Street.

According to reports from Mississippi Department of Public Safety officials, Capitol Police officers responded to the crash scene at around 12:12 a.m. on August 1. On the scene, officers spotted two damaged vehicles. One of the vehicles was a Chevrolet Camaro.

After hitting a utility pole, the Camaro driver sustained fatal injuries in the accident. The driver, identified by Hinds County Coroner Jeremiah Howard as Levi Wyatt Jr., was pronounced deceased at the scene.

The Camaro also had a passenger who reportedly sustained life-threatening injuries, per DPS officials. On the other hand, the driver of the second vehicle sustained no injuries in the incident. The crash remains under investigation by the Mississippi Highway Patrol.

Media personnel who cover Jackson State describe Wyatt as a great young man. “If you ever had a chance to meet Levi, you were always greeted with that huge smile—it will be missed,” Travis Jarome, who handles PR and sports media for the Tigers, said on X.

Wyatt spent just his final season in college football at Jackson State. During the 2025 campaign, he was utilized on both defense and special teams, as the Tigers clinched the SWAC East Division championship. After the season, he declared for the 2026 NFL Draft. Unfortunately, he went undrafted but expressed his desire to play in the CFL and XFL.

Levi Wyatt’s collegiate career

Before joining Jackson State via the transfer portal, the native of Vicksburg played for the McNeese State Cowboys. There, he was named to the 2024 All-Southland Conference second team and to the 2024 Phil Steele All-Southland Conference team. In that season, he played in 12 games and recorded 33 tackles (22 solo), 2 tackles for loss, and 8 pass breakups.

His sophomore season saw him start all 10 games and record 13 tackles, including 9 solo, and 7 pass breakups, which ranked third in the Southland Conference. Wyatt had an interesting college experience, as he only joined the McNeese State Cowboys after spending his freshman year at Mississippi Gulf Coast.

During his redshirt freshman season, he appeared in four games and missed five games due to injury. As a true freshman in 2021, he played in 8 games, recorded 12 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 interception, and 1 fumble recovery.