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"Hi, you've reached William Campbell from Detroit Cass Tech, defensive tackle, offensive tackle, No. 73."

That may sound like a simple voicemail greeting, but for Campbell it's more of a subtle statement. The Cass Tech senior is a standout lineman on both sides of the ball for the Technicians, and he doesn't want to get pigeonholed into one position -- even in something as ordinary as his cell phone recording.

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William Campbell would like to continue playing both ways in college.

Some recruiting websites rank him as a defensive tackle, others prefer him on the offensive side, but Campbell would rather be known as a lineman, plain and simple. In his heart, he believes he's equally talented on offense and defense and wants the opportunity to suit up both ways in college (he had committed to Michigan but decommitted in September).

Though two-way stars are about as common in the Big Ten as Ohio State fans are in Ann Arbor, Campbell still wants to give it a shot.

"I always enjoy taking a challenge," Campbell says. "I like to play both sides. I've been doing it my entire life."

Considered by some to be Michigan's top player and a national Top 25 recruit, Campbell has faced a plethora of challenges en route to becoming a highly touted prospect. And in each case, the 6-foot-5, 315-pounder has succeeded.

As a 10-year-old, Campbell was too big -- he recalls being 5-foot-9 and 205 pounds back then - to go up against kids his age in the Detroit Police Athletic League. Instead, he was placed at a level with 13- and 14-year-olds. Nevertheless, he managed to stand out. Cass Tech head coach Thomas Wilcher remembers going to a youth game to watch a different player, but he instead came away impressed with Campbell.

"I was like, 'Golly, that boy is good,'" says Wilcher, who played running back and ran track for Michigan in the 1980s.

But the coach still had a few years to wait before Campbell reached Cass Tech. And even then, Wilcher had to wait a bit longer to get him in pads. Campbell didn't play football as a freshman because his mother wanted him to focus on adjusting to the rigors of high school classwork before stepping on the gridiron.

"It was tough, but I understand where she was coming from," says Campbell, who now boasts a 3.2 GPA.

So Campbell began his prep career as a sophomore, splitting time as a JV starter and varsity backup. Though he didn't receive much playing time on varsity, Campbell took advantage of every opportunity he got.

During a game against Kettering that fall, Cass Tech All-American tackle Joseph Barksdale struggled to block an opposing defensive end early in the game. Frustrated, Wilcher put Campbell in at tackle and moved Barksdale to guard. It proved to be a wise decision, as that same defensive end barely sniffed the quarterback the rest of the day and the Technicians rolled to a 32-0 win.

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Campbell decommitted from Michigan in September.

Once Barksdale graduated and moved on to LSU, Campbell realized what kind of opportunity he had in front of him. But if he was going to follow the likes of Barksdale and Vernon Gholston (a college star at Ohio State and 2008 New York Jets first-round pick) as the next great player to come out of Cass Tech, he would have to overcome another obstacle. He needed to lose weight.

Campbell checked in at 350 pounds at the end of his sophomore year, and Wilcher suggested he slim down a bit before his junior season started. Wilcher told Campbell he would know he'd reached a proper weight when he could dunk a basketball. If he couldn't, he was still too heavy.

Campbell promptly attacked his summer workout regimen with the same ferocity he uses on the field. Focusing mostly on cardio training, Campbell pulled out all the stops, including running in sand while pushing or pulling trucks at Belle Isle Park.

After his summer training was complete and he was down to 310 pounds, Campbell threw down a dunk in front of his coach.

"He has one of the best attitudes you'd want out of an athlete when it comes to coaching," Wilcher says.

Trimming down helped Campbell get quicker on his feet, and he didn't have to sacrifice any strength in the process. He can squat more than 500 pounds and bench close to 400. Couple that strength and agility with his tenacity and drive, and you have a player as ferocious as The Game's lyrics.

And that intensity isn't reserved just for games. Campbell brings it during practices as well. Last year, Wilcher had to tell Campbell to be more cautious with his teammates. During one drill as an offensive tackle, he sent a teammate flying and then knocked another down.

"The first kid wasn't a little kid," Wilcher recalls. "He was 300 pounds. After the play was over, I just saw two kids laying on the ground."

"That's why I play the line  you can hit somebody on every play," adds Campbell, who earned All-Detroit first team honors from the Detroit Free Press last year after dominating on the offensive line and tallying 42 tackles and seven sacks on defense.

Despite his aggressive approach on the gridiron, Campbell is a gentle giant off the field. Known as "Big Will," Campbell loves to poke fun at teammates and coaches alike.

But he's all business when it comes to football. In fact, he's on track to graduate early so he can enroll in college in January and get a head start on earning playing time as a freshman. He'll also be furthering his ultimate goal of playing both ways in college.

"I haven't seen too many kids do what he can do," Wilcher says. "He's going to do what it takes to play both sides of the ball instead of just talking about it."

It's a tall task. But if Campbell has proved anything, it's that he's not afraid of a challenge.

Jon Mahoney covers high school sports for ESPN RISE.