A native of Detroit, Michigan, Gholston attended Mumford High School in Detroit, where he was a USA TodayHigh School All-American in 2008. For his senior year, he transferred to Southeastern High School. He recorded a career-best 115 tackles as a senior, with 44 resulting in losses including 27 sacks, and also forced 10 fumbles and blocked two punts. Considered a five-star recruit by Rivals.com, he was rated as the third best strong side defensive end in the nation. He accepted a scholarship from Michigan State University over offers from Michigan and Ohio State.
College career
Gholston enrolled in Michigan State University, and played for the Michigan State Spartans football team from 2010 to 2012. As a freshman in 2010, he saw action in the first 10 games of the 2010 season before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury against Minnesota. He recorded 13 tackles and five quarterback hurries. In 2011, he became a full-time starter for the Spartans. He led the Spartan defensive linemen with 70 tackles and finished tied for seventh in the Big Ten with 16.0 tackles for loss ; that total also ranks tied for seventh in MSU single-season history, and he also was tied for 11th in the Big Ten with 5.0 sacks. He tied a Spartan-bowl record with 5.0 tackles for loss, including a career-best 2.0 sacks, in the 33-30 triple overtime win against No. 18 Georgia in the 2012 Outback Bowl, and garnered all-conference second team honours. As a junior in 2012, he led the Spartan defensive linemen and ranked fourth on the team with 59 tackles. He also led the team and ranked eighth in the Big Ten with 13.0 tackles for loss, and led the team with 4.5 sacks.
Professional career
On January 3, 2013, Gholston announced he would forgo his final year of eligibility and enter the NFL Draft. On April 27, 2013, William Gholston was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fourth round with the 29th Pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. The Buccaneers previously acquired the pick used to select Gholston from the New England Patriots in a trade that sent Aqib Talib to New England. Gholston signed his contract on May 14, 2013, and his four-year deal is worth $2,560,544; it included a $400,544 signing bonus. He finished his rookie season in 2013 as a rotational player earning 30 combined tackles and 2 quarterback sacks. In 2014, he became the team's starter at left end for the defensive line when an injury to Adrian Clayborn put Clayborn on the IR list ending his season. He eventually lost the starting job to waiver wirepick upJacquies Smith and was relegated to rotational duties for the remainder of the 2014 season. He finished the year with 41 combined tackles and 2 quarterback sacks. Gholston played in all 16 games while starting 11 in 2015. He amassed 67 tackles, 3 sacks and a forced fumble from his defensive end position. On March 6, 2017, Gholston signed a five-year contract extension with the Buccaneers.
