Ohio State Buckeyes fighting to keep No. 1 2026 prospect Chris Henry Jr. from flipping to rivals

The Ohio State Buckeyes have had Chris Henry Jr. committed to the program for a full year, but that isn't stopping the competition from trying to flip him. Oregon, USC, and three SEC schools have been named by On3 as threats to Brian Hartline and the Buckeyes. This is expected to come down to the final moments since deep-pocketed and top-tier programs are involved.

Henry said earlier this summer that Oregon has been trying to get him to flip. It's easy to see why Alabama, Auburn, and Georgia have yet to give up, either. The 6-foot-5, 200-pounder has a 99 grade on 247Sports and 34 scholarship offers.

It's hard to count the Buckeyes as an underdog with any receiving prospect. Henry would join 2024 super freshman Jeremiah Smith as one of the impactful young stars across the nation. Hartline has developed a plethora of first-round receivers already, and Henry profiles as a top-notch NFL prospect in the future.

Oregon, USC, and the SEC schools aren't nearly as accomplished as Ohio State's claim to WR U. Add in that the Buckeyes are bringing in top 2025 quarterback Tavien St. Clair, and the biggest thing the program needs to do is make sure they have a strong personal connection with the NFL legacy talent.

Here's a scouting report on the No. 1 player in 2026:

Henry checks off every box you want to see in a next level receiver. In fact, despite not playing a ‘premium’ position from an NFL Draft standpoint, he’s good enough to warrant consideration as the top overall recruit in the ’26 class, much like Jeremiah Smith was in the class of ’24. At close to 6-6 and 195 pounds, Henry is one of the longest receivers in the ’26 class but has surprisingly agility and lateral quickness. He’s explosive out of the gate, can stop and start on a dime, change direction and obviously has that huge catch radius. He has the long speed to stretch the field and hit the home run but the size and sure handedness to be a go to guy on key third down situations. He’s dominant in the air on jump balls and as he fills out some and he gains strength, his game will take off to another level.