Freshman Ohio State Buckeyes receiver Chris Henry Jr. could be in line for a massive role off the bat if he can effectively transition from California's CIF Southern Section (CIF-SS) Division 1 high school football league to the Big Ten.
The Columbus Dispatch's Joey Kaufman believes Henry could even start on the outside for the Buckeyes and effectively replace a potential top-10 NFL draft pick, Carnell Tate, next to junior sensation Jeremiah Smith.
"The Buckeyes kept Henry as part of their high school recruiting class in December despite his wavering in the aftermath of wide receivers coach Brian Hartline accepting the head coaching job at South Florida. It marked a major win for Ohio State as the son of the late Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry was the nation's top-ranked receiver recruit," Kaufman wrote.
"If Henry makes a quick transition, it could pay dividends in the search for a replacement for Carnell Tate opposite Jeremiah Smith. While transfer addition Devin McCuin played most of his snaps on the outside at UTSA, there are few other receivers with experience on the perimeter, leaving a potential starting role for Henry, a big 6-foot-5 target. If he mirrors the career arc of Smith, who started right away as a freshman in 2024, he could be in line to seize a spot."
Chris Henry Jr. and Arthur Smith are kindred spirits for Ohio State in 2026
Henry will need to gel with another second-generation Division I athlete, Ohio State offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, to succeed during the 2026 season. Smith's arrival figures to radically reshape the offense, but maybe Henry could still have a big role in it.
Beyond Jeremiah Smith, there's more uncertainty at WR than there's been in a long time in Columbus. Devin McCuin, Kyle Parker, Brandon Inniss, Henry Jr., and Jerquaden Guilford are all "ideas," as Cleveland.com's Stephen Means, Andrew Gillis, and Stefan Krajisnik pointed out.
The new offensive coordinator and WR1-in-waiting are kindred spirits. They can succeed together, or seriously disappoint Buckeye Nation after a surreally dominant two-year run at the beginning of the 12-team CFP era.
Only time will tell which direction this reality will take.