NIL OPPORTUNITIES
- Joined program in 2021
- Pronounced jay-vihn
- Nickname is Nunu which is his widely-used name and is a correct reference in broadcasts
STATS (Entering 2024 season)
2022 | Games: 9 (6 starts) | Receptions: 29 | Yards: 451 | TD: 3 | Long: 72 vs. VMI, 10/14/22
2023 | Games: 13 (11 starts) | Receptions: 55 | Yards: 977 | TD: 9 | Long: 67 vs. Furman, 11/4/23
2024 | Games: 12 (12 starts) | Receptions: 55 | Yards: 677 | TD: 6 | Long: 71 at Furman, 10/12/24
Career | Games: 34 (29 starts) | Receptions: 139 | Yards: 2,105 | TD: 18 | Long: 72 vs. VMI, 10/14/22
HONORS
All-America: 2023 (2nd Team-Bluebloods), 2022 (4th Team Freshman-Phil Steele)
All-SoCon: 2022 (Freshman), 2023 (2nd), 2024 (2nd)
SoCon Player of the Week: Oct. 9, 2023 (Offense)
2024 (Junior)
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All-SoCon (2nd)...team highs for receptions (55) and TDs (6) while ranking second in yards (677).
- Finished career ranking sixth in the Chattanooga record book for receiving yards (2,105) and tied for fourth in TD receptions (18).
- Two 100-yard receiving efforts: 168 at Furman and 108 against Portland State...work against PSU is the 12th time a Moc had three or more TDÂ catches in a game...only Whatley, Cos DeMatteo (1998-01) & Joe Burke (1977-80) have two such games in school history.
- Long catch of 71 yards went for a score at Furman.
- Ranked No. 4 on HERO Sports preseason list of top returning FCS wideouts...honorable mention on Bruce Feldman's annual freaks list on the Athletic.
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Preseason All-America: FCS Football Central (1st team), Phil Steele (2nd) & Stats Perform (2nd)...
Shrine Bowl 1000 Watch List...first team
preseason All-SoCon: league & Phil Steele...
Walter Payton Award Watch List.
2023 (Sophomore)
- 2nd Team
All-America (Bluebloods)...2nd Team
All-SoCon.
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SoCon Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 9 after record-setting performance against Western Carolina with 353 all-purpose yards...had an 11-catch, 231-yard, 4-touchdown performance which tied for second in TD receptions (Terrell Owens vs Marshall, 1994) and fifth in yards.Â
- Key performer playing in all 13 games with 11 starts...55 catches for 977 yards with nine TDs.
- Team-best 17.8 yards per catch and led in TD recpetions.
- Team high 20 catches of 20 yards or more...more than 40 percent of the team's total of 47...long catch of 67 yards came in regular season against Furman.
- 100+ yards three times: 231 vs Western Carolina, 106 at North Alabama and 102 vs. Furman.
- Whatley's 54-yard catch-and-run at Alabama last November was the longest pass play allowed by the Tide in more than a year dating back to Tennessee's Hendon Hooker's 78-yard TD pass to Jalin Hyatt on Oct. 15, 2022.
- 977 yards for the season tied for seventh most in a campaign all-time with Cos DeMatteo (1999)...nine TDs were 5th most to date and highest total since Json Jones' 10 in 2002.
- 2023 receivers room ranked 16th in the country with an 84.5 grade per PFF College. That ranked between LSU (15) and Texas (17) and was fourth among FCS programs behind North Dakota State (3), South Dakota State (5) and South Dakota (T13).
- Combined with Jamoi Mayes (62-1037) & Sam Phillips (60-624) as first trio since 2004 with 600+ yards each in the same season: Alonzo Nix (819), current assistant Tyrus Ward (660) & Emanuel Hassell (647)...most productive since 2000: Richmond Flowers (86-1035), Cos DeMatteo (75-971) & Ronnie Strickland (51-767)...that’s also the last time a trio collected 50 receptions or more each.
2022 (Redshirt Freshman)
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SoCon All-Freshman team...4th team
Phil Steele Freshman All-America.
- Nine games played with six starts...third on the squad with 29 catches and 451 yards...second in TD receptions (3).
- Five games with four or more receptions with a high of six in the comeback win at ETSU.
- Most yards in a game was 79 at Eastern Illinois on four catches with a score...also scored at Western Carolina.
- Five receptions of 20 or more yards with three topping 50...long of 72 yards was a touchdown in the win over VMI.
2021 (Freshman)
- Redshirted.
- Dean’s List & A.D. Honor Roll…4.0 student in the fall.
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Prior to Chattanooga
- All-region quarterback as a junior at Rockmart, ending the 2019 campaign with 1,533 yards passing, 1,150 yards rushing and 36 combined touchdowns.
- Played for head coach Biff Parson…led the Yellow Jackets to a 35-4 record over the last three seasons.
- Also competed in track & field
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Personal
- Full name is Javin Lajuan Whatley…son of Jermaine Whatley and Shareeda Dorsey.
- Born Nov. 24, 2002…has nine brothers and sisters.