Ryan Day needs to be wary. Just because Chris Henry Jr. made an early commitment to Ohio State doesn’t mean he can’t flip to another Big Ten program. He may be from the 2026 recruiting class, but his presence could be a game-changer for any program. After all, who wouldn’t fight for the nation’s top wide receiver of the 2026 class?

Josh Newberg connected with On3 Director of Recruiting Chad Simmons in a new YouTube episode on On3 Recruits on October 26. In the episode, Simmons talked about Chris Henry Jr.’s chances to flip from Ohio State. Pointing Oregon as a threat to the Buckeyes, he said, “If there’s one school to watch I see as a competition for Ohio State right now, that’s the University of Oregon.”

Chris Henry Jr. comes from an athletic family where his father Chris Henry played WR for the Cincinnati Bengals from 2005 to 2009. The Mater Dei HS prospect is the No. 1 WR and the No. 4 overall in the nation. At 6’5, 195-pound, Chris Henry Jr. is one of the longest receivers in his recruiting class with impressive agility. 

The 5-star prospect first received an offer from Ryan Day in June 2022. But it was in July 2023 that he announced his commitment to the Buckeyes amidst 40+ offers, including Georgia, Tennessee, and Michigan. Day and WR coach Brian Hartline played a huge role in his commitment as he told ESPN, “They’re just letting me know that I’m their priority guy. Every time I go up there, every time we speak, they’re just letting me know that I’m their guy, that they wanted me bad.” While things are looking bright for Ohio State, they better brace themselves for the fierce competition with Dan Lanning and Oregon.

Can Oregon flip Chris Henry Jr.’s commitment?

“Every day they’re trying to get me to flip,” Chris Henry Jr. said of Oregon. The highly-touted WR also made two visits to Oregon this season. He was also present at the Ducks’ Saturday Night Live camp at Autzen Stadium which filled him with hope. He told Scoop Duck, “Just how they interact with their players is just amazing. The people they have there is crazy. They’re all good people and good coaches.”

Oregon has a way of recruiting elite wide receivers. They’ve already secured two 5-star WRs of the 2025 class – Dakorien Moore and Dallas Wilson. Besides, the Ducks have a highly able WR coach in Junior Adams whom Chris Jr. truly appreciates. Even performance wise, Oregon triumphed over Ohio State in a close 32-31 in their last Saturday’s game, a game that intrigued another 5-star prospect Jahkeem Stewart. Can Ryan Day and the Buckeyes shine above the competition and ultimately hold absolute ownership over Chris Henry Jr.?