Texas Longhorns Fall Short in Wild Sweepstakes for 5-Star WR

The Longhorns made a last-minute push for a five-star wide receiver, but ultimately came up short.

Oct 25, 2025; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian reacts after a touchdown during overtime against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Steve Sarkisian and the Texas Longhorns tried to shock the college football world by flipping Ohio State commit Chris Henry Jr. away from the Ohio State Buckeyes.

And while they made a spirited and aggressive push, they ultimately came up short, with Henry announcing his intentions to stick with the Buckeyes on The Pat McAfee Show on Friday morning.

Henry Jr. is currently rated the No. 3 wide receiver in the 2026 recruiting cycle by 247Sports. After Texas missed out on talented receivers like Jalen Lott and others, Sarkisian and his staff responded by going hard after Henry Jr.

When he's been healthy, Henry Jr. has been an absolute game-wrecker for Mater Dei High School. In only eight games this season, the receiver has totaled 28 receptions for 607 yards and six touchdowns.

Henry Would Have Been A Major Get for Texas

Chris Henry Jr. was at Ohio Stadium to watch the Ohio State Buckeyes take on the Michigan Wolverines in an NCAA football game on Saturday Nov. 30, 2024. | Lori Schmidt / Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Standing at 6-foot-5, 205 lbs., the former Ohio State commit is a true mismatch for nearly every defender. With his elite size, Henry Jr. has a knack for making 50/50 jump balls look easy. Not only has the Mater Dei product been elite at making contested catches, but he's also forced opposing defenses to change their entire game plan.

Ohio State commit Chris Henry Jr makes an incredible grab to set up 1st and goal at the 1 🤯

Watch LIVE ⬇️https://t.co/70Wl7nNSPY pic.twitter.com/fpGarUgoIk

— MaxPreps (@MaxPreps) September 20, 2025

Henry Jr. would have been exactly what Texas was looking for on the outside. The Longhorns have always had physical receivers as a part of their offense. If Henry Jr. can win a starting job with the Longhorns, the combination of him and Arch Manning on offense could be something special to watch.

The receiving game was one thing that the Longhorns struggled with during the 2025 season. From receivers dropping passes to guys nursing injuries throughout the season, the Texas passing game was inconsistent to say the least. Ryan Wingo was a bright spot for the Longhorns with 50 receptions for 770 yards and seven touchdowns, but even he had some poor performances.

If they had been able to land Henry Jr., the Longhorns could have had a true X-factor on offense. The Mater Dei product has been evaluated as one of the most dynamic receivers in recent memory and has even been compared to NFL wide receivers like Nico Collins. That's pretty high praise for a guy who has had the injury bug in high school.

Unfortunately for the Horns, without Henry in the fold, they will likely have to turn their attention to the transfer portal to find additional help at the position.