A standout return specialist and defensive back in high school, Ginn teamed with his roommate, Troy Smith, to give the Buckeyes one of the most dangerous pass/catching combinations in the collegiate ranks.

"Here is guy who came to us as a return specialist and defensive back and has developed into a very good receiver," Buckeyes head coach Jim Tressel said. "He has always had great hands and he has become a very good route runner. With his speed, he is a threat to score anytime he touches the ball."

The son of renowned Glennville High School head coach Ted Ginn Sr., the younger Ginn and Smith were his prize pupils. Ginn was selected as the USA Today Defensive Player of the Year and was also a Parade All-American. SuperPrep named him as its National Defensive Player of the Year and he was the Most Valuable Player of the U.S. Army All-America game his senior year.

Ginn also played quarterback, wide receiver and running back for Glenville and returned punts and kickoffs. He intercepted eight passes as a senior and returned five of them for touchdowns. One of his interception returns went for a state-record 102-yard touchdown, while another went for a 97-yard score. He also passed for 932 yards and 12 touchdowns and rushed for 845 yards and 17 scores.

Ginn was named one of Ohio's three Division I offensive players of the year as a junior. He returned four punts and one kickoff for touchdowns that season. In track, he was the national champion in the 110-meter high hurdles as a junior and recorded the best time in the nation as a senior when he won another state title. He also clocked a personal-best 10.5 seconds in the 100-meter dash.

Ginn enrolled at Ohio State in 2004. He spent most of the preseason working with the defense, but was moved to offense right before the start of the schedule. He was used sparingly early in the season as he learned the system, but was a key factor in the Buckeyes' late-season success. Ginn caught passes in the last seven games of the season and had 18 receptions in the last four games. He finished with 25 catches for 359 yards (14.4 avg) and two touchdowns.

That season, he gained 113 yards with two scores on 13 carries (8.7 avg), but it was as a punt returner where he gained national media attention. His four punt returns for touchdowns set school and Big Ten Conference single-season records, and at the time tied the NCAA mark. He gained 25.6 yards per punt return, leading the nation and setting another OSU record in that department. He scored on punt returns of 65 yards (Wisconsin), 67 yards (Penn State), 60 yards (Michigan State) and 82 yards (Michigan). The latter broke the game open and was one of the most spectacular runs in Ohio State history.

In 2005, Ginn settled in as the team's starting flanker. He finished second on the squad with 51 receptions for 803 yards (15.7 avg) and four touchdowns. He totaled 83 yards with a score on 12 carries (6.9 avg) and gained 532 yards on 18 kickoff returns, including a touchdown. His kickoff-return average of 29.56 yards ranked fourth in the nation. He also returned 25 punts for 250 yards (10.0 avg) and a score. He became the first Buckeye to register receiving, rushing, punt returns and kickoff-return touchdowns in the same season.

Ginn was a second-team All-American choice in 2006. He led the team with 781 yards and nine touchdowns on 59 catches (13.2 avg), and added 17 yards on three carries. He threw a pass for a 38-yard score, returned 18 kickoffs for 440 yards (24.4 avg) and a touchdown and had 24 punt returns for 266 yards (11.1 avg), including a score. He finished the year with 1,504 all-purpose yards -- 115.7 yards per game.

In 37 games at Ohio State, Ginn started 31 times. He snatched 125 passes for 1,943 yards (15.5 avg) and 15 touchdowns. He carried 28 times for 213 yards (7.6 avg) and three scores, adding another touchdown on a pass completion for 38 yards. He set the Big Ten Conference career record with six touchdowns on 64 punt returns for 900 yards (14.1 avg), and gained 1,012 yards with two scores on 38 kickoff returns (26.6 avg). He scored a total of 156 points and registered three solo tackles. Ginn also registered 109.95 all-purpose yards per game, totaling 4,068 yards.

Positives: Has outstanding quickness, agility and balance … Gets to top speed in a hurry and maintains acceleration throughout his routes … Has that quick second-gear burst as a returner to take the ball to the house consistently (six touchdowns on punt returns, two touchdowns on kickoffs) … Good team leader who responds to discipline; with his work ethic, you won't need to monitor him … Once he gets into his patterns, he is quick to gobble up the cushion … If given a free lane to operate, Ginn is certain to find the seams … On deep patterns, he has that extra burst needed to run by defenders and is very effective at making the over-the-shoulder grabs … The thing you see on film is his ability to get down the field rapidly … Can track, adjust and jump for the ball much better on long routes than he does when working in a crowd … Given a free lane, Ginn will immediately burst into his routes … Eats up the cushion in an instant, and while his lateral agility could improve, he maintains stride on slants and screens … Best served on screens, quick flares, slants or bursting up the seam -- anything that will take advantage of his explosive quickness … Is very quick through transition and has a knack for avoiding second-level defenders to find holes in the zone … Lacks double-cut agility, but can accelerate suddenly when he drops his pads … Can instantly turn on a defensive back on a route; he has that extra gear needed to pull away … When he sinks his hips, he transitions fast and accelerates through the cuts to burst away … Might not look fluid in and out of his breaks, but has the ability to separate thanks to a sensational second gear … Has the speed to stretch the field and separate, showing steady acceleration to uncover vs. man coverage … Has a knack for becoming available quickly on the blitz and does a good job of getting his feet down along the sidelines … Carries route depth, sliding to create lanes, but must do a better job of settling when working in traffic … Adjusts readily to man coverage and is alert to finding the soft spot in the deep zone … If given room to operate, he will simply race past a defender … Might not have the strength to break tackles or the lateral agility to redirect, but with his acceleration, he is a dangerous threat with the ball in his hands … His burst makes him too elusive in man coverage; he always makes the first tackler miss.

Negatives: Has a wiry build with a lean frame, split high with long legs, lacking the bulk or strength to consistently beat press coverage … Plays with suddenness, but lacks the lateral agility to come out of his breaks cleanly and needs to improve his footwork, especially in stop-and-go action … Instinctive returner, but needs to vary his speed when running routes … While he is explosive in the open field, his concentration tends to be a bit inconsistent, as he hears the sounds of the defender's footsteps working over the middle … Must do a better job of securing the ball on receptions before turning upfield (will drop a few when he tries to run before grasping the ball … Lacks the strength to power his way through the press and needs to be more active with his hands on release … Must be more alert working underneath for when the quarterback is going to deliver the ball, but does a nice job of looking the throw in over his outside shoulder without having to break stride … Moves well left or right, but shows only adequate hip snap on his lateral moves … When he is up against the press, he tends to take false steps and cocks his arms before firing, but he has enough speed to compensate … Sometimes that speed gets him into trouble; he runs so fast he might miss a cut or look sloppy trying to plant and drive … His cuts look too choppy and he looks tight in his hips making body turns … Looks a little too stiff in his hips when moving laterally, so he is not a great multiple-cut runner … Shows very good vision to track the ball in flight, but will struggle some in tough-to-catch spots … Not much of a red-zone threat; he had only six passes thrown to him in that area through 37 games.

Compares To: Dante Hall, Kansas City -- Like Hall, Ginn appears to be a quality return specialist who can contribute some as a receiver rather than a receiver who can contribute some as a return specialist. He is very effective on quick slants and screens and tracks the ball well over his head, but with his lack of strength and inability to defeat the press, he will struggle to get a clean release and into his routes at the next level. He seems hesitant to go over the middle as a receiver, and he tends to lose concentration when he hears a defender's footsteps. Still, he is an electrifying returner who could bring decent value in multiple-receiver formations, as long as you don't ask Ginn to run lateral routes into a crowd.

2007: Injured while celebrating after he returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown in the BCS title game. He sprained his left foot and was forced to wear a walking boot for several weeks. Ginn had an MRI and X-rays at the Cleveland Clinic two days after the bowl game (1/10), where a doctor determined he had a middle foot sprain. "We were thankful for that. It's just a sprain," Ginn's father said.

Campus: 4.28 in the 40-yard dash … 250-pound bench press … 34½-inch vertical jump … 31¼-inch arm length … 9 1/8-inch hands.

Attended Glenville (Cleveland) High School, playing football for his father, head coach Ted Ginn … Selected as the USA Today Defensive Player of the Year and was also a Parade All-American … SuperPrep named him as its National Defensive Player of the Year and he was the Most Valuable Player of the U.S. Army All-America game his senior year … Also played quarterback, wide receiver and running back for Glenville and returned punts and kickoffs … Intercepted eight passes as a senior and returned five of them for touchdowns. One of his interception returns went for a state-record 102-yard touchdown, while another went for a 97-yard score … Also passed for 932 yards and 12 touchdowns and rushed for 845 yards and 17 scores … Named one of Ohio's three Division I offensive players of the year as a junior … Returned four punts and one kickoff for touchdowns that season … In track, he was the national champion in the 110-meter high hurdles as a junior and recorded the best time in the nation as a senior when he won the state title again. He also clocked a personal-best 10.5 seconds in the 100-meter dash.

Human Development & Family Science major … Son of Ted and Jeanette Ginn … Born Theodore Ginn Jr. on 4/12/1985 … Resides in Cleveland, Ohio.