The Galloway native -- a freshman at Rutgers who recently finished his high school career starring on a Florida football team -- suffered a fractured skull and brain injury during the incident in Margate, according to multiple reports.
Davis is shown in a brief argument with a man wearing a red baseball cap, who shoves Davis in the chest.
As Davis puts his hands up, the man fakes a left-handed punch and then knocks Davis to the ground with his right fist. The nine-second video shows Davis fall back to the pavement, hitting his head.
A Rutgers Football spokesman told the outlet that Davis' health and well-being was of main concern to the team.
Although the footage was initially shared on Facebook, it spread like wildfire on Twitter.
"“He is home with his family and continues to make progress in his recovery," the statement reads. "We look forward to getting him back on campus soon.”
The footage was apparently sent to one of Davis' friends, who shared it with his dad, who then posted it to Facebook, according to the Press of Atlantic City.
The man who posted the video to Facebook said the shirtless man who punched Davis apparently provoked him by "saying sexual harassment things to Carnell about his mom," PAC reports.
"Carnell obviously questioned him on it."
Margate City police had not released details about the incident as of Wednesday.
Davis spent his senior year of high school playing for Eau Gallie High School in Melbourne, Florida. The 175-pound wide receiver enrolled in Rutgers last January, and was widely quoted when he signed his letter of intent to play football saying:
"We're going to make an impact early and we are coming for the Big Ten and National Championship. Rutgers won't be down for much longer and losing is going to become a thing of the past in Piscataway."
Click here to follow Daily Voice Cresskill-Closter and receive free news updates.