COLUMBUS -- Sophomore strong safety Donte Whitner has been tabbed by Sports Illustrated as the Ohio State player most likely to have a breakout season, yet Whitner talks like someone ready to defer that honor to a former high school teammate.

Of course, he was referring to Ted Ginn Jr. -- the decorated freshman from Cleveland Glenville who has arrived at OSU with the same fanfare once accorded Maurice Clarett and Andy Katzenmoyer.

A consensus top five national recruit and the USA Today Defensive Player of the Year, Ginn may get a chance early to contribute as a kick returner, defensive back or wide receiver. He would prefer to play all three -- a la Chris Gamble.

Don't let Ginn's slight build (6-0, 170 pounds) fool you, Whitner said.

"I expect him to make an immediate impact," Whitner said. "He should fool people with his speed ... the way he can run."

Ginn posseses the facial features and "home run" clout of another famous Junior -- Ken Griffey Jr.

In January, Ginn returned a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown and was named MVP of the U.S. Army national all-star game.

In June, he won three first-place medals at the state track and field meet and narrowly missed qualifying for the U.S. Olympic Trials.

In July, he was named MVP of the Big 33 Classic after catching five passes for 142 yards and a TD and passing for a score.

If anyone's up to practicing on both sides of the ball and taking on an extra workload, it's Ginn.

"I've never taken time off; it's been that way since eighth grade," Ginn said. "Right after track, I go into football and then into basketball.

"My head's not spinning. All I can do is ask questions. I can go to the older guys and know they are going to help me."

The pipeline from Glenville to Ohio State has provided Ginn with a comfort zone. The roster includes three former high school teammates -- Whitner, quarterback Troy Smith and linebacker Curtis Terry.

Still, Ginn wouldn't have chosen the home-state school over Southern Cal, Michigan, Miami or Pittsburgh if not given the assurance he would have a chance to play both offense and defense with the Buckeyes.

"We're beginning with the idea that it's probably more complicated to play on defense," coach Jim Tressel said. "We'll start with him practicing on defense, but we'll give him reps as a return man and receiver and let the thing unfold. A lot will have to do with how we're doing at other positions."

Ginn said he's not wearing No. 7 out of homage to Gamble, OSU's three-way performer and first-round draft pick of the Carolina Panthers this spring. Ginn wanted a single-digit number and that was the only one left.

"Chris is a good player ... I'm a good player," he said.

Neither was found wanting for confidence, although Ginn is already more outspoken about it.

"You've got to have confidence; you've got to have confidence in life, in the classroom," Ginn said. "That's what this life is all about - being confident."

Teammates noticed that self-assurance when Ginn participated in some of the summer seven-on-seven drills.

"He's good and he knows he's good, in a good way," senior cornerback Dustin Fox said. "That helps, and that's important because when you come in here, there are so many things that can make you lose your confidence right away as a freshman."

As a Glenville senior, Ginn passed for 932 yards and 12 touchdowns and rushed for 845 yards and 17 touchdowns. But he also picked off eight passes, returning five of them for touchdowns on his preferred side of the ball.

"Defense is my favorite," he said. "I played defense all four years of high school and I've got defensive back down to a science."

We'll see. If the national champion hurdler can make the leap to the college level without breaking stride, we'll see a lot of Mr. Ginn - and not just as the elixir for what has been a sickly kick return unit.

"We recruited him to come in as a corner, with the changeup being the return game and offense," Tressel said. "Chris (Gamble) came in as a receiver and return man, but the defense evolved and became the best thing for him and us.

"I can't promise that's how it will end (for Ginn). Both offensive and defensive staffs want him as much as they can get him in practice."