Prospect Profile last updated by Drew
Donte Whitner*
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Position: SS
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College:
Ohio St.
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Projected
Round2 MEASUREMENTS
HEIGHT
WEIGHT
40 TIME
5'10"
205
4.42
DRAFTX.com VALUE
72.5
Pros: Hard hitter who shows up every game, consistent player. Shows the ability to make the big play in big times. Vocal guy who makes his presence felt. Intelligent player with a good work ethic.
Cons: Not the biggest guy, doesn't have top athletic skills, and not very experienced (21 years old and 2005 was his only full season starting).
Draft Exchange Analysis:
Career Notes:
Hard-hitting playmaker ... will be in his first full year as the starter at strong safety ... has played in 23 of 25 games the past two years and always comes to play ... split time with Tyler Everett in the first two games of 2004, then took over as the starter and started the next five games before suffering a knee injury in the first half of the Indiana game ... combined for 39 tackles in the three games immediately proceeding Indiana (Northwestern, Wisconsin and Iowa) and was playing the best football of his career before being hurt ... underwent arthroscopic surgery on the Tuesday following Indiana and missed the next game (Penn State) ... returned the following week and played 11 minutes at Michigan State ... sat out the next week at Purdue (where the Buckeyes were missing three of their four starters in the defensive backfield), but returned for the Michigan game and recorded four tackles, including a key 11-yard sack, in 15 minutes ... had a game-high eight tackles in the Alamo Bowl ... teams with free safety Nate Salley to give the Buckeyes two outstanding safeties.
2004 (Sophomore):
Played in 10 games ... finished fourth on the team in tackles with a career-high 69 ... his four tackles-for-loss led the team's defensive backs ... recorded a career-high 17 tackles against Wisconsin ... also reached double figures against Northwestern (12) and Iowa (10) ... his 24-yard interception at North Carolina State led to an OSU touchdown and a 13-0 lead just before halftime.
2003 (Freshman):
Saw action in all 13 games and logged 86 minutes of playing time ... scored his first, and only, collegiate touchdown against Iowa, falling on a blocked punt in the end zone ... played a season-high 16 minutes against Michigan State and played at least 10 minutes in four other games, including Northwestern, Iowa, Indiana and Penn State ... collected 15 solo stops and 22 total tackles, which led all reserve defensive backs ... picked off his first collegiate interception late in the first half at Indiana and returned it 5 yards to set up an Ohio State touchdown ... second pick came in the fourth quarter against Michigan State ... had a fine showing in the Fiesta Bowl vs. Kansas State when he collected five tackles and broke up two passes ... also had five tackles and a forced fumble against Michigan State and was awarded Ohio State's Jack Tatum Hit of the Week Award by the coaching staff.
High School:
Considered one of the top defensive backs in the country ... rated as the No. 1 overall prospect in the Midwest and the seventh-best in the nation by one recruiting service ... played in the U.S. Army Bowl over Christmas break ... credited with 87 tackles and had three interceptions as a junior ... 60 tackles as a senior including 10 tackles-for-loss, three picks and four forced fumbles ... scored 14 touchdowns as a junior and had nine TD receptions as a senior ... 13 career interceptions ... recruited by all the national powerhouses ... also excels in the classroom.
Personal:
Is the son of Lindsey Robinson and Deborah Whitner Robinson ... has one brother, Dawawn who is 15 ... says playing in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl is his favorite football memory to date ... attended his first Ohio State football game in 2001 when the Buckeyes defeated Michigan, 26-20, in Ann Arbor ... favorite pro sports team is the Philadelphia Eagles ... one of his favorite Ohio State football traditions is singing Carmen Ohio after home games.
