Inside Chris Henry Jr. Losing His Black Stripe at Ohio State

The Ohio State Buckeyes football program continues to maintain long-time traditions during spring football.

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Chris Henry Jr. (15) leaves the field following Student Appreciation Day spring practice at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center on April 4, 2026. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ohio State Buckeyes coach Ryan Day has continued to maintain a standard in Columbus, especially from the top all the way down.

The Buckeyes will compete in their spring game this Saturday at Ohio Stadium. But before they could do that, some internal business had to be handled first.

As of Wednesday afternoon, freshman wide receiver Chris Henry Jr. can fully live out his dream of being a Buckeye. During practice, Henry Jr. had his black stripe removed and was shouted out on "X" by the Ohio State social media team to commemorate the achievement.

🚨 𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗽𝗲 𝗔𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘁 🚨

Zone 6️⃣ adds a Physical Specimen with all the tools to be great to the room, Welcome @ChrisHenryJr 🌰 pic.twitter.com/XRf4UJksxA

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) April 15, 2026

Who is Chris Henry Jr.?

Henry Jr. was one of three No. 1 recruits the Buckeyes signed, and his teammates have spoken exceptionally highly about him. This includes fellow wideout Jeremiah Smith, of course.

Smith met the media March 28 and said of Henry Jr. that he has a chance to slide right in as a dynamic one-two punch alongside him this season. But, he took it a step further, arguing the sky is the limit for the Santa Ana, Calif. native, by way of Charlotte, N.C. during his later years.

"Chris is quiet," Smith said. "He's so laid back, so chill. He's got that Cali vibe in him. But, you know, he's another one. Just came in, kept his head down. Kept working. He's the next one up."

Henry Jr. has been making his presence known in practice. The freshman standout was seen in a now-viral video going up to snag a deep ball in a tight spot the same day Smith uttered his comments about him. As the video gained traction, Henry Jr. reminded the Buckeyes fans why Columbus is truly home for him.

The tweet has been seen over 44,100 times, as Henry Jr. remains active on his platforms retweeting information about his teammates or simply replying to fans who have general questions (with a bit of swagger, too).

The Buckeyes will do their best to try and create a redemption tour following a stunning conclusion last season as they were eliminated by the Miami Hurricanes in the Cotton Bowl. The good news, however, is the Buckeyes have won under Day's regime in the Big Ten before, securing a national title to cap the 2024-25 season with an underdog-type chip on their shoulders following a regular-season finale loss to the Michigan Wolverines.

Returning to the present, there may be five months until the season starts. But, for Henry Jr.'s Buckeyes, the journey begins now.