Ginn taking hands-on approach

From September to January, Ted Ginn Jr. solidified his status as one of the top playmakers in the 2007 NFL draft, capping it with a 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the BCS championship game.

As the Ohio State junior zipped down the field at that high-stakes moment, it was another reminder of his dazzling ability and breathtaking speed.

Yet when Ginn injured his left ankle in the ensuing celebration, missed the remainder of the game, and had his preparations for the draft significantly altered, he suddenly found himself placed into a different category. He's now a wild card.

So it goes in the NFL scouting process.

Although game performance is weighed heavily by NFL teams, so are the workouts from February to April. And since Ginn did not work out at the combine or his scheduled Pro Day -- instead holding an April 11 workout that drew mixed reviews -- teams serious about Ginn will be pulling the trigger without the thorough evaluation they have on other prospects.

To alleviate concerns, Ginn offered this advice during his rehab: Trust the game film.

"I just hope throughout the year they look and see what I did throughout my years in college, and they can take something from the three years and see I am a nice player and do great things on the field," he said.

"Even though I can't bounce back as quick as I want to, I hope they can take some consideration and look at game film and see I am the player they want."

Ginn (5 feet 11 1/4 inches, 178 pounds) still is expected to be a first-round selection tomorrow as part of a deep receiver class headlined by Georgia Tech's Calvin Johnson (6-5, 239), who is arguably the most coveted player in the draft and a surefire top-five pick. One of the more intriguing aspects of the draft will be the possibility of a trade in which a team moves up to secure Johnson.

Other receivers expected to draw consideration in the early rounds include Tennessee's Robert Meachem (6-2, 214), Louisiana State's Dwayne Bowe (6-2 1/4, 221) and Craig Davis (6-1 1/4, 207), South Carolina's Sidney Rice (6-3 1/2, 200), Southern Cal's Dwayne Jarrett (6-4, 219) and Steve Smith (5-11 3/4, 197), and Ohio State's Anthony Gonzalez (6-0, 193).

They have varying styles and will fit differently depending on a team's system. Quick separators such as Smith and Gonzalez, for example, will likely carry higher grades for teams such as the Patriots and Colts.

New Hampshire receiver David Ball (6- 3/4, 196) is projected to be a later-round pick. Although he didn't run as he hoped in the 40-yard dash (4.68) at a Pro Day , he remains hopeful teams will focus more on his record-breaking production than his workout. Brandon London of UMass also has landed on the radar of scouts, with the Giants sending a coach to Amherst to work him out.

Meanwhile, the tight end crop is considered weak, with Miami's Greg Olsen (6-5 3/4, 254) and Arizona State's Zach Miller (6-4 1/4, 256) topping the charts. Neither is considered a devastating blocker, so teams looking for a tight end who is a factor in both the running and passing games shouldn't expect much out of this draft.

Olsen acknowledged that his goal is to be a more complete player.

"You have to be well-rounded, you have to be half wide receiver, half offensive lineman," he said. "It's kind of a challenge because there are very few guys who can run routes at 255 pounds like a receiver and also go in there and block like a 300-pound offensive lineman."

As for New England tight ends, Harvard's Matt Farbotko and Northeastern's Kendrick Ballantyne will look to make rosters, likely as free agents.

Odds and ends on wide receivers and tight ends:

Ginn won two national championships in the 110-meter high hurdles.

Johnson became the first Georgia Tech player since Marco Coleman (1990-91) to be named a two-time first-team All-American.

Meachem won two state basketball championships at Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa, Okla.

Bowe did not play football until his junior year at Norland Senior High School in Miami.

Rice enters the draft after his sophomore season. He redshirted his first year, in 2004.

Olsen initially signed with Notre Dame out of high school, and attended summer workouts and preseason camp his first year, before transferring to Miami.

If he lands in New England, Miller might have to change his nickname because it's already taken by the Celtics' Paul Pierce. Miller was nicknamed "The Truth" by his Arizona State teammates.