Chris Henry suspense enters Day Two

Chris Henry Jr. was all set to sign with Ohio State in a ceremony at Mater Dei early Wednesday morning. Only according to reports, the Buckeyes hadn't bothered to tell him that principal recruiter Brian Hartline was leaving to become the coach at the University of South Florida.

The five-star wideout stepped back. On social media he wrote,

"I have not signed yet. Still trying to weigh my options due to coaching changes I just want to make the right decision for my future.



Gods plan"

Twenty-four hours after the Early Signing Period opened, he's still consulting with his family and advisors to decide between two schools, the Ohio State Buckeyes and their impressive receiver pedigree, and the contenders, the Oregon Ducks.

Elite talent and a unique array of skills

Henry Jr., a fluid, next-level receiving talent with route-running skills, size and great hands, wrestles with the decision, torn between the fact that the Buckeyes misled him and a deep connection to the program. He grew up in Ohio, where his father played with the Bengals. He's been committed to the school since 2023.

The Ducks have a plan for his development. They've been very steady in their efforts to flip him. Dakorien Moore has reached out to him with a personal appeal. Jeremiah Smith has done the same thing on the Buckeye side.

Henry Jr. has been working out with NFL receivers like TJ Houshmandzadeh, a family friend, since junior high. He trains at an elite performance lab, Golden West, and he's physically ready to be a day one starter in college football.

The Buckeyes are an NFL factory at receiver. They've cranked out a dozen first-round draft picks at the position including Emeka Egbuka (2025), Marvin Harrison Jr. (2024), Jaxon Smith-Njigba (2023), Garrett Wilson (2022), and Chris Olave (2022). Four straight years they've produced a No. 1, and Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate have first-round talent.

The money will be great at either place. Oregon's Ross Douglas does an exceptional job developing receivers, and in Moore or OSU's Julian Sayin, he'd enjoy a top-level passer throwing him the football.

It comes down to who he trusts. For Oregon, it's a potential opportunity to add an element the offense has scarcely ever possessed, the tall, gifted receiver who defeats coverage with elite ball skills. Henry would give the Ducks five five-star recruits in one class, something that's never happened, the Christmas star on the program's best-ever recruiting class.