Ohio State Buckeyes touting next freshman phenom WR in CHris Henry Jr.

It wasn't long ago that the Ohio State Buckeyes had the future of football standing as a true freshman in Columbus.

Back in 2024, a young and unproven Jeremiah Smith started to make waves for the Buckeyes, coming in as the No. 1-ranked player in his recruiting class, and he didn't disappoint, hauling in 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns in his first year of college ball.

Now, it appears that a similar type of buzz is drumming up for the Buckeyes' newest 5-star wide receiver, Chris Henry Jr.

While he may not be quite as highly-rated as Smith — Henry Jr. was only the No. 14 player in the 2026 class — there is a belief that he will be able to change the game in similar ways this year in Columbus. In an interview with ESPN this spring, head coach Ryan Day says that he foresees a major year coming for the 6-foot-5 speedster.

"I'd be surprised if he's not definitely making an impact in the fall for us," Day said. "The question is how fast? He's definitely going to play. How much and how quickly he plays is going to be up to him in terms of the type of summer he has, and then obviously preseason."

If Henry is able to stand out early on, it will only act as a cherry on top for what is projected to be among the most talented offenses in the nation. With QB Julian Sayin and Smith back for their junior years, and running back Bo Jackson set to have an even bigger role, the Buckeyes should be humming, despite losing Carnell Tate to the first round of the NFL draft.

Couple that with the introduction of Arthur Smith as the new offensive coordinator in Columbus, and you likely have another championship contender, just like Ohio State had the last time a freshman phenom was standing out wide. It is unfair to expect Henry to be the next Jeremiah Smith, but early in his career, it's clear they like what they have in the young player.

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