The 2025 season might close, but there’s no timeout. Signing Day is around the corner. Even with 5-star Chris Henry Jr. locked in, the Ohio State Buckeyes can’t relax. Of all the poachers lurking, Ryan Day knows their Big Ten rival is the one that keeps you up at night.

On November 21, Rivals reported, “Powerhouse programs are making a late push to flip Ohio State Five-Star Plus+ WR commit Chris Henry Jr.👀.” The heaviest hitters chasing the Mater Dei superstar are West Coast giants Oregon and USC. On3’s Pete Nakos tweeted, Texas has checked in this week, too.

However, turns out that Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns didn’t make enough noise to threaten a flip. But what’s this craze about Day’s commitment?

Henry Jr. has been locked in with the Buckeyes since July 2023. At the time, 247Sports had him pegged as the No. 1 receiver in the class and the No. 3 player overall. His offer sheet? A long line-up featuring heavyweights like Texas, Georgia, Notre Dame, Alabama, Miami, and plenty more. 

Henry Jr.’s scouting report by recruiting analyst Greg Biggins read, “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.”

Day might be on cloud nine!

A year ago, even as a Buckeye commit, Henry was hyping Oregon to On3, calling their rise ‘something special.’ It didn’t flip him then, but Day can sense the déjà vu nerves returning. Moreover, the Ducks and Lanning are not done pursuing top recruits for the 2026 class. Day has every reason to be scared.

Oregon is currently very hungry in its search. Lanning and Co.’s pursuit of the star wideout took a bump when Junior Adams left for the Dallas Cowboys. But Ross Douglas has kept the engines running. He was front and center in Southern California for Henry Jr.’s rivalry clash with St. John Bosco, a game where the 5-star lit it up for two touchdowns. Day must feel more anxious now that Oregon’s latest recruiting momentum is underway. 

As the early signing period approaches on December 3, Oregon has just scored a flip: 3-star Boise Timberline wideout Hudson Lewis has ditched Utah and pledged to the Ducks. However, Day had better deadbolt the entrance as Lanning is juggling some severe turbulence.

Dan Lanning left watching as Ryan Day’s recruiting engine hit overdrive

The 5’11” and 195-pound running back from Lake Oswego High School, LaMarcus Bell, has been on the Ducks’ ladder for quite some time. He committed to Utah in June, but Lanning threw in their offer on October 24. Here came a fresh heartbreak for them. 

“LaMarcus, this is a guy who kind of grew up with the Oregon Dream School storyline that you hear with a lot of in-state guys,” Max Torres said. “But maybe he has something that he really loves in Utah. I’ve reached out for comment, but it doesn’t necessarily sound like he has been wanting to go on the record lately. So, you’ve got to respect that.”

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The in-state running back will stay committed to the Utes and discuss the recruiting energy. For Ryan Day and the Buckeyes, it’s 100% at the moment. 

Ohio State is running back-to-back top-5 recruiting marathons. After locking in the No. 5 class in 2025, Day repeated the feat for the 2026 class. The Buckeyes already have 28 pledges lined up for 2026. The Buckeyes snagged CB Jay Timmons on November 6, prying him away from Florida State, his second flip after Indiana.

Day then grabbed Mason Wilhelm from UNC and reeled in former Colorado pledge Emanuel Ruffin. If you think that’s all for Day’s recruiting haul, hold on.

The Buckeyes added another spark plug this month. Four-star athlete Legend Bey, Tennessee’s speed merchant who blazes a 4.33, landed in Ryan Day’s camp. Thus, Ohio State’s recruiting battery recharged. No panic button needed if Oregon comes circling Chris Henry Jr.