Chris Henry Jr.’s Recruitment Takes an Unexpected Turn
So, here’s what’s going on right now with Chris Henry Jr., and it’s turned into one of the biggest storylines of Early National Signing Day. Henry, who is widely considered the No. 1 wide receiver in the 2026 class and one of the top recruits overall, had been expected to make things official with Ohio State. He verbally committed way back in July 2023, and most people assumed his signing would be a formality. But things took a surprising turn.
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On Wednesday, instead of sending in his paperwork, Henry posted publicly that he hadn’t signed yet. He explained that he was still weighing his options, largely because of recent coaching changes. This announcement came after reports earlier in the day mistakenly suggested that he had already finalized his commitment. Naturally, that added fuel to the speculation.
A big part of the uncertainty revolves around Brian Hartline, Ohio State’s offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach, who has been a major figure in building the Buckeyes’ wide receiver pipeline to the NFL. News broke that Hartline was expected to leave to take the head coaching job at South Florida, and that shift clearly gave Henry reason to pause. His teammate, four-star receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, already flipped from Ohio State to USC, which only intensified the conversation around Henry’s decision.
What makes all this even more interesting is that Henry had previously shut down his recruitment entirely back in April, canceling official visits to Oregon, USC, and Miami. But just days before signing day, he posted an Instagram story showing three hats—USC, Oregon, and Ohio State—hinting that the door might be open again. It definitely got people talking.
Henry’s story has always carried weight beyond football. He’s the son of the late NFL receiver Chris Henry and was raised in Cincinnati by former Bengal Adam “Pacman” Jones. His early high school career in Ohio included a standout sophomore year with over 1,100 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. The last two years, he’s played at powerhouse Mater Dei in California, continuing to grow into one of the most sought-after players in the country.
At 6'5" and 205 pounds with elite speed, he has been compared to Houston Texans star Nico Collins—another big, physical wideout trending toward multiple 1,000-yard NFL seasons. And with programs like Oregon, USC, Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, and Texas all having offered him scholarships, it’s no surprise his decision is being watched closely.
Right now, Henry says he still plans to sign with Ohio State, but until the paperwork is in, the drama around his recruitment is very much alive.
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