Jacksonville native William Sweet builds car-rental and housing ventures after retiring from professional football

A short NFL tenure, followed by a pivot into local entrepreneurship

Jacksonville native William Sweet, a former professional offensive lineman, has transitioned from football into a portfolio of business and community-focused projects that span transportation services and transitional housing. Sweet, who played college football at the University of North Carolina, entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2019 and later spent time with multiple franchises before stepping away from the league at age 24.

In interviews and public biographical records, Sweet has described his early focus on preparing for a post-football career, citing education and business fundamentals as priorities while he was still playing.

Building a fleet-based mobility business

Sweet’s latest venture centers on a vehicle-fleet model tied to rideshare and rental demand. Under the Sweet EV Rides brand, he has said he purchases and provides vehicles while drivers supply the labor—an approach that reflects a broader trend in the gig economy toward asset-backed fleet operators rather than individual vehicle owners.

Sweet has stated that the company’s scale has reached roughly 40 vehicles. Business contact information for Sweet EV Rides lists operations in Jacksonville, and the company markets electric-vehicle rentals and fleet services.

Earlier investments in housing for people reentering society

Before expanding into transportation services, Sweet said he moved into real estate in 2019 with a goal of creating housing options for people transitioning out of incarceration. He has described the effort as a Jacksonville-based transitional program with more than 40 beds and reported that it has served “hundreds” of participants over time.

Transitional housing programs typically aim to reduce recidivism by stabilizing basic needs—housing, employment readiness, and access to services—during the period immediately following release. Sweet’s description places his real-estate investments within that framework, connecting property ownership to structured support capacity.

Youth diversion efforts and future plans

Sweet has also linked his work to youth intervention through the Next Level Boys Academy, which he described as a diversion initiative intended to steer children away from the juvenile justice system. While operational details were not fully disclosed publicly, diversion programs generally emphasize mentorship, supervision, and structured alternatives to court involvement.

Separately, Sweet said he recently traced his family lineage to Ghana and has developed mentorship connections there, raising the possibility of future business activity on the African continent.

• Background: Jacksonville native; University of North Carolina alumnus; entered the NFL in 2019 as an undrafted free agent.
• Business focus: Vehicle fleet operations under Sweet EV Rides; previously real-estate activity tied to transitional housing capacity.
• Community component: Reported support for reentry housing and youth diversion programming.

Sweet has framed his post-football work around building businesses that also create pathways for others through housing stability and structured youth support.