• Follow us on Twitter @buckeyeplanet and @bp_recruiting, like us on Facebook! Enjoy a post or article, recommend it to others! BP is only as strong as its community, and we only promote by word of mouth, so share away!
  • Consider registering! Fewer and higher quality ads, no emails you don't want, access to all the forums, download game torrents, private messages, polls, Sportsbook, etc. Even if you just want to lurk, there are a lot of good reasons to register!

S Donte Whitner (Official Thread)

Jump to latest Follow Reply
Sort by date Sort by votes
DDN

1/13

Whitner as good as gone

OSU safety accepted money for autograph session

By Doug Harris
Dayton Daily News
COLUMBUS | Ohio State junior safety Donte Whitner accepted money for signing memorabilia for a Columbus autograph dealer Wednesday, all but officially surrendering his final season of eligibility.
<!--endtext-->

<!-- inset --> <!--begintext--> Whitner had told his coaches he planned to submit his name for the NFL draft before Sunday's deadline, but he has declined to speak publicly about his intentions, leading to speculation that he may have been waffling.
But Kevin Schlosser of Ohio Signatures Unlimited said he hired the first-team All-Big Ten pick for a show near Westerville with OSU senior safety Nate Salley. Schlosser wouldn't reveal what Whitner was paid.
After arranging the deal with Neil Cornrich, Whitner's agent, Schlosser said he gave the player numerous chances to back out.
"I didn't want to influence him in any way," Schlosser said. "If he was here, it (would be) a privilege to use him. If not, it wasn't a big deal. I would just use him next January.
"He was committed to his decision and looking forward to his future."
Schlosser also said Whitner had been paid for signing autographs earlier with another business.
Whitner couldn't be reached for comment, and Cornrich didn't return messages.
Players who have profited from their fame are considered professionals and forfeit their eligibility. They can seek reinstatement if they repay the money, but they generally aren't permitted to rejoin their teams without first serving suspensions.
An NFL spokesman said the league wouldn't disclose names of underclassmen entering the draft until next week.
 
Upvote 0
From today's Dispatch.....

link

1/14/06

Signs point to NFL for Whitner

There were two signs that junior safety Donte Whitner is headed to the NFL: A sports memorabilia distributor said Whitner took money to sign items, and athletics department representative Steve Snapp said that Whitner has withdrawn from school.

Whitner did not return phone calls. He had been expected to announce his exit at the end of last week but never did.

"He told me he has committed to entering the NFL draft," Kevin Schlosser of Ohio Signatures Unlimited said. The items are available at

www.theosustore.com.

Schlosser would not say how much Whitner made for the signings, but any such agreement would be a breach of NCAA amateur rules.

Snapp said Ohio State coaches are under the impression that Whitner had decided to leave. Underclassmen seeking inclusion in the draft must file paperwork with the NFL by Sunday. It’s unknown whether Whitner has done so.

[email protected]
Click to expand...
 
Upvote 0
Cleveland PD

1/15

OHIO STATE FOOTBALL



Whitner wavers, then enters draft



Sunday, January 15, 2006 Doug Lesmerises

Plain Dealer Reporter
Columbus - Ohio State junior safety Donte Whitner submitted his name for the NFL Draft nine days ago. He said it wasn't until Thursday that he knew for sure he would not return for his senior season at Ohio State.
For nearly a week, Whitner pondered removing his name from a list of eligible underclassmen, making no public comment as speculation circulated about his intentions.
"At one point, I thought I knew exactly what I wanted do, and then at another point, I didn't," Whitner said Saturday in his first interview in 11 days. "I was still thinking things over all the way up until the last minute, and then I decided to come out."
Asked about reports that he had been paid to sign autographs, which would have forfeited his eligibility, Whitner said, "That's false," though his signed photos are already for sale on the Internet.
Whitner, a Glenville High graduate, said he will not take classes this semester and will remain at his Cleveland home to prepare for the draft. He plans to work out with trainers Tim Robertson and Eric Lichter at their Speed Strength Systems facility in Euclid.
He said that if he runs a good 40 time at the NFL combine, he has a chance to be drafted in the first or second round, in part because he believes he can play not just safety but also cornerback in the NFL.
"Before the season, I felt like if I had a good year, I'd have an opportunity to come out," said Whitner, who finished third on the team in tackles. "I felt like Coach [Jim] Tressel and the entire staff supported my decision. They didn't try to reel me back in after they knew I was looking at the next level. They got as much information for me as possible and made it easier for me. The opportunity to go play at the next level was there, and I felt like I was ready."
Underclassmen have until today to declare for the draft, and Whitner joins cornerback Ashton Youboty and receiver Santonio Holmes in leaving Ohio State early. In his latest rankings, ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. lists senior linebacker A.J. Hawk as the sixth-best draft prospect, Holmes as 16th and Youboty as 22nd.
 
Upvote 0
Cleveland PD

1/15

[FONT=arial,sans-serif][FONT=arial,sans-serif]BROWN'S TOWN [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=arial,sans-serif][FONT=arial,sans-serif]Whitner decides now is time for NFL [/FONT][/FONT]

[FONT=arial,sans-serif][FONT=arial,sans-serif] [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=arial,sans-serif][FONT=arial,sans-serif]Sunday, January 15, 2006[/FONT][/FONT][FONT=arial,sans-serif][FONT=arial,sans-serif]Roger Brown[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=arial,sans-serif][FONT=arial,sans-serif]Plain Dealer Columnist [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=arial,sans-serif][FONT=arial,sans-serif]Ohio State star safety (and for mer Glenville High standout) Donte Whitner will skip his senior season at OSU and enter this spring's NFL Draft. [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=arial,sans-serif][FONT=arial,sans-serif] In a statement announcing his departure from Ohio State, Whitner thanked OSU football head coach Jim Tressel and staff "for creating such a terrific environment to succeed, both academically and athletically. [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=arial,sans-serif][FONT=arial,sans-serif] "I have had an outstanding experience at Ohio State University and at Glenville High School with coach Ted Ginn, who has been and continues to be an integral part of my life," Whitner's statement added. "I now look forward to the challenge of playing against the premier players in the National Football League." [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=arial,sans-serif][FONT=arial,sans-serif] During the recent OSU season, Whitner led the Buckeyes in interceptions (two) and was third in tackles (73, including nine for losses). [/FONT][/FONT]
 
Upvote 0
link

1/15/06

It’s official: Whitner heads for NFL draft

Sunday, January 15, 2006

Tim May
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
<!--PHOTOS--><TABLE class=phototableright align=right border=0><!-- begin large ad code --><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE align=center><TBODY><TR><TD align=middle>
20060115-Pc-E5-0500.jpg
</IMG> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>



As obvious as it might have appeared from the outside, Donte Whitner said his decision to forgo his senior season at Ohio State in favor of entering the NFL draft was not an easy call.

Nevertheless, Whitner, a safety, said yesterday he is leaving, joining cornerback Ashton Youboty and receiver Santonio Holmes, two other juniors who have declared for the draft.

"I thought it was going to be a lot easier than it was," said Whitner, whose exit means the Buckeyes must replace nine starters on defense. "You think about all the fellow players you’re leaving behind, all the coaches who have come and gone, the relationships you’ve built with all of those people. That makes it tough.

"But in the end, you have to make the decision that’s best for you."

There was speculation that he could be a late second- or thirdround pick, but he said he has gotten enough feedback from confidants to believe he could be a late first- to second-round pick.

"That is, if I run the times I’m capable of running" in workouts, Whitner said. He believes he could run 40 yards in 4.3 seconds, which would impress NFL scouts.

He said he no longer is in school so he can concentrate on his workouts. He also said he turned down a couple of paid autograph offerings before agreeing to do some for Ohio Signatures Unlimited four days ago, which effectively ended his college eligibility.

"I didn’t have to leave because I needed money; that wasn’t really a factor," Whitner said. "I’m just ready to move to the next level and test myself against some of the best players in the game."

[email protected]
Click to expand...
 
Upvote 0
I wholeheartedly believe he could have greatly improved his draft position by returning for his senior year. Nevertheless, he had a great career here, I am glad he was on our side, and I wish him all the luck in the world.
 
Upvote 0
If Whitner can pull off a 4.3 for the NFL scouts, he'll skyrocket and be taken really early.

It's funny to me that a guy like Shazor got All American recognition, but a guy like Whitner did not. Thankfully, the scouts see through that bullshit. I think Whitner is going to be a great pro.
 
Upvote 0
He led the team last year with 2 ints....

That is a statement that I never want to be written about the Buckeyes again - only 2 ints, and he led the team? Not a knock on Donte at all, but we have got to come up with more TO this year to offset the youth on D.
 
Upvote 0
I think Donte can compete at the next level but telling the media you'll run a 4.3 is putting a lot of pressure on a 40 yd dash. Football is so much more than speed ..if he runs a 4.5 or 4.6 instead is that a bad thing. I guess I still see the picturesof MC at the combine as he embrrassed himself!
 
Upvote 0
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top