INDIANAPOLIS — Jake Ballard showed Rob Gronkowski a good time six years ago, but he’s hoping the Giants defense — and Gronkowski’s sprained ankle — don’t do the same here Sunday.
The Giants’ unsung tight end revealed yesterday he was Gronkowski’s host during an official recruiting visit to Ohio State in 2006, which means that Ballard and the Patriots star will come full circle in Super Bowl XLVI.
“I definitely remember taking him around on his visit,” Ballard recalled during Media Day at Lucas Oil Stadium. “People don’t realize it, but he and I go back a while.”
Fortunately for Ballard, Gronkowski chose Arizona over the Buckeyes after that visit. Considering Ballard barely caught any passes in college as it was, he might not be in the NFL today had Gronkowski, who set a league record for tight ends with 17 touchdown receptions this season, tabbed Ohio State instead.
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Ballard said he has no problem being known as “the other tight end” in the Super Bowl with so much attention being showered on Gronkowski and prolific Patriots teammate Aaron Hernandez.
“They don’t ask me to do what they’re doing for New England,” said Ballard, who came out of nowhere as an undrafted free agent to catch 38 passes for 604 yards and four touchdowns. “Those guys are having an incredible year, both of them. Gronkowski is doing things that have never been done before at our position, and he’s a lot of fun to watch.
“It’s neat to see tight ends impact the game like those guys do.”
Gronkowski has been so good this year Ballard said he studies film of the 6-foot-6, 265-pound mountain man for techniques he could borrow in his own game.
“Anytime you see a tight end put up those kinds of numbers, you want to know how they do it and learn from it,” Ballard said. “He does a lot of things during his route and finds ways to get open, to the point where he’s a mismatch anywhere on the field. I definitely could learn something from his game.”
Gronkowski won’t be the only thing on Ballard’s mind Sunday. The proximity to Springboro, Ohio, resulted in Ballard having to spend $13,500 on 15 Super Bowl tickets for friends and family — a not-so-small payout for someone who made $450,000 this season.
“It’s worth it, though,” he said. “This is like a dream to be in the Super Bowl. I’m pinching myself.”
bhubbuch@nypost.com