Five-Star WR Chris Henry Jr. Delays Signing With Ohio State After Brian Hartline Exit

Henry was supposed to sign with Ohio State but has held off for now.

Chris Henry Jr., Mater Dei wide receiver has not signed with Ohio State as planned and his weighing his option. | Lori Schmidt / Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It wouldn’t be National Signing Day without some drama. This year, it centers around an Ohio State commitment.

On Wednesday, five-star wide receiver Chris Henry Jr. announced he was holding off on signing a letter of intent to weigh his options. Henry had been committed to the Buckeyes since July 28, 2023, but his lead recruiter just left the program. Henry plays for Southern California powerhouse Mater Dei. He was listed among our 10 most important commitments from the 2026 recruiting class.

The early signing period for football began on Wednesday and runs through Friday.

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

— Chris Henry Jr (@ChrisHenryJr) December 3, 2025

Long-time Buckeyes wide receivers coach Brian Hartline oversaw Henry’s recruitment, but on Wednesday, news broke that he would be the next head coach at South Florida. Hartline. The 39-year-old had been Ohio State’s receivers coach since 2018 and the team’s offensive coordinator since 2023.

Hartline’s exit caused other ripples. Henry’s teammate and fellow receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt flipped from Ohio State to USC early on signing day. He’ll join four other Mater Dei players who signed with the Trojans.

Henry is the son of former NFL receiver Chris Henry, and is the top wideout and No. 10 overall prospect on the 247Sports composite. He’s a consensus five-star player, and at 6’5” and 205 pounds, has the kind of body and skill set to contribute early in college. According to MaxPreps, he finished his senior season with 28 catches for 607 yards and six touchdowns.

Ohio State’s Carnell Tate is projected to jump to the NFL, so there should be playing time available across from superstar Jeremiah Smith in 2026 if Henry decides to land in Columbus.

CBS recruiting expert Tom Loy claims Oregon is making a big push for Henry as Ohio State tries to hold on.

We’ll see how this plays out.

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