Will Dave Portnoy help Michigan flip Ohio State five-star commit?

Earlier this week, Michigan booster Dave Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports, tweeted at five-star Ohio State commit Chris Henry Jr. with a picture of Oracle's stock price going up. Larry Ellison, the new richest man in the world and Michigan booster, owns Oracle, and this was Portnoy's attempt at enticing the Buckeye commit to flip to Michigan.

Just last year, Portnoy played a big role in helping Michigan flip five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood away from LSU late in the recruiting cycle. Underwood had been rock solid in his commitment to the Tigers, but a very large NIL deal helped get the job done. The question is, will Portnoy's attempts work this time?

Rivals doesn't think so. Henry Jr., the son of former West Virginia and Cincinnati Bengals WR Chris Henry, was born in Ohio and has been committed to the Buckeyes since July of 2023. His teammate at Mater Dei, four-star WR Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, is also committed to Ohio State, which just adds another layer to the mix.

Chris Henry Jr., Mater Dei wide receiver, soaks up the atmosphere of the game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Texas Longhorns at Ohio Stadium on Aug. 30, 2025. | Lori Schmidt / Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Henry also has a deep connection with Ohio State Offensive Coordinator Brian Hartline. When Hartline was promoted to offensive coordinator shortly after the Buckeyes' National Championship victory, Henry had this to say about his future offensive coordinator:

“I love this move,” Henry told On3’s Hayes Fawcett. “Coach Hartline knows how to develop receivers better than anyone, and now with him as offensive coordinator, I know he’s going to put us receivers in the best position to dominate for sure.”

A flip doesn't seem likely, but that was also the case with Underwood. All the reports were that he wasn't going to flip, but money talks, and in the end, Michigan had more to offer than the Tigers. This time around, the Wolverines will have to compete with their arch-rivals, Ohio State, who have a pretty large NIL budget as well. Again, it's not completely out of the realm of possibility, but don't count on Portnoy getting this one done.

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