James Lavell Whitley (born May 13, 1979) is a former American football player. Whitley was born in Decatur, Illinois, but he attended high school in Norfolk, Virginia. He was a star football player on both defense and offense for Norview High School. Whitley played two seasons as a defensive back in the National Football League for the St. Louis Rams (2002–2003) and Green Bay Packers (2003–2004). He was waived by the Packers in October 2004 and signed in November 2004 with the Carolina Panthers. However, he did not appear in any games for the Panthers.