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Nation's No. 1 wide receiver predicted to flip commitment after national signing day drama

Joe Cox|
Top wide receiver recruit Chris Henry Jr. is being predicted by several national analysts to flip his commit after a wild National Signing Day.
Top wide receiver recruit Chris Henry Jr. is being predicted by several national analysts to flip his commit after a wild National Signing Day. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Oregon DucksOhio State Buckeyes

College football recruiting is famously a last-minute matter, with many big recruitments going absolutely down to the wire. It's safe to say that the ultimate signing of wide receiver prospect Chris Henry Jr., is going to end up as one of those recruitments. The California prospect is a five-star recruit with 247sports ranking him as the nation's top wide receiver prospect in their 247 composite rankings.

Chris Henry Jr's Recruiting Story

Henry committed to Ohio State in July 2023. That said, per 247, Henry took unofficial visits after that commitment to Penn State, Oregon, and USC. Heading into early Signing Day, Henry's recruitment also got more complicated because of staff changes. Ohio State offensive coordinator and wide receiver coach Brian Hartline is moving on to South Florida as the new head coach. Henry noted yesterday that he had not signed and was weighing his options due to coaching changes.

The New Leader

As of yesterday's report, Oregon was noted to be emerging as a possible destination with Texas as another possibility. In fact, today, several major recruiting insiders have now logged picks for Henry to move on from Ohio State in favor of Oregon.

Rivals further noted in its coverage that USC and West Virginia could also be players in Henry's recruitment, but that Oregon is seemingly overtaking Ohio State, with Henry looking to sign perhaps as quickly as Thursday.

More Coaching Shifts and Signing Day Results

Of course, Oregon has had its own coaching transition issues, with offensive coordinator Will Stein departing for the Kentucky head coaching job. Oregon has 247sports' No. 2 overall recruiting class currently, while Ohio State is at No. 6. Oregon has signed four five-star recruits, trying them for tops nationally in that category with Notre Dame and Alabama.

OSU Family Ties

Henry is seen as an immediate difference maker in the 2026 recruiting class. A 6'5" receiver who can stretch the field but also use game-breaker speed, he played at legendary Mater Dei High in Santa Ana, California. Of course, Henry is the son of former Ohio State and NFL wide receiver Chris Henry. His sister, Seini, plays basketball at Ohio State.

But the recent predictions only increase the likelihood that Chris Henry Jr. will buck the family trend and pursue his own collegiate path. It's just another twist and turn in the endless saga of college football recruiting, but with a potential payoff that is reportedly getting closer and closer for the Oregon Ducks.

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Joe Cox
JOE COX

Joe is a journalist and writer who covers college and professional sports. He has written or co-written over a dozen sports books, including several regional best sellers. His last book, A Fine Team Man, is about Jackie Robinson and the lives he changed. Joe has been a guest on MLB Network, the Paul Finebaum show and numerous other television and radio shows. He has been inside MLB dugouts, covered bowl games and conference tournaments with Saturday Down South and still loves telling the stories of sports past and present.

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