The Ohio State Buckeyes were able to secure the commitment of 2026 five-star wide receiver Chris Henry Jr. on Friday afternoon.
With the 2025 early National Signing Day period coming to a close on Friday, the Ohio State Buckeyes received some exciting news regarding the top player in the 2026 class.
During his appearance on the Pat McAfee show on Friday afternoon, 2026 five-star wide receiver Chris Henry Jr. announced that he will remain committed to the Buckeyes, despite the recent coaching moves this offseason.
Henry was the first prospect in the Buckeyes’ 2026 recruiting class, announcing his commitment back in 2023. Landing the son of former NFL wide receiver Chris Henry gave Ohio State a significant head start in the 2026 class, as he quickly became the No. 1 wide receiver in his class, according to 247Sports Composite.
At 6-foot-5, it was clear that Henry had the perfect build to become a top playmaker at the next level. In addition to his elite frame, the highly-touted receiver also possesses a rare blend of size and speed, along with a lethal route-running ability that makes him a threat at all three levels of the field.
Unfortunately for the Buckeyes, Henry remained strong in his commitment until the very last minute. On the first day of the early National Signing Day period, Henry got cold feet and did not sign with the Buckeyes due to the news of offensive coordinator Brian Hartline taking the head coach position at USF.
The sudden loss of Hartline caused four-star wide receiver commit and Henry’s high school teammate, Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, to flip his commitment from Ohio State to USC. This gave Oregon head coach Dan Lanning the perfect opportunity to make a last-minute push for Henry, but the efforts would not be able to secure the star player.
Looking at the rest of the Buckeyes’ 2026 recruiting class, Day’s group is currently the No. 6-ranked program in the nation following Henry’s decision, according to 247Sports’ Composite. This year’s class features 26 signees, with four-star EDGE Khary Wilder and four-star linebacker Cincere Johnson as the top recruits.
Luckily for fans, Day made a swift move this offseason to land the No. 1 player in the state of Indiana in four-star wide receiver Jerquaden Guilford in June, giving Ohio State a total of four receivers in the 2026 class.