Chris Henry Jr., the son of the late NFL wide receiver Chris Henry Sr. and adopted son of former NFL cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones, has committed to play football for Ohio State.
The news was met with excitement as the Buckeyes secured their first 2026 commit and continued their tradition of recruiting highly ranked receivers.
Henry Jr., a talented Class of 2026 wide receiver hailing from Withrow University High School in Cincinnati, received an offer from Ohio State on June 6, 2022, just before starting his freshman year of high school.
Despite having several other attractive offers from prestigious programs like Georgia, Clemson, and USC, Henry Jr. was certain about his decision.
“I just felt like I was ready. I was just tired of waiting,” Henry told ESPN. “I already knew where I wanted to go. So when I went back there, it just already felt like home and I already felt like this is where I wanted to be.”
THIS IS AWESOME: Chris Henry Jr, son of late #Bengals receiver Chris Henry, announced his commitment to The Ohio State earlier today.
After Chris Sr. passed away in 2009, former #NFL star cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones adopted Chris Jr. and his brother.
Pretty crazy: Before… pic.twitter.com/sMLOBDd3GE
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) July 30, 2023
The legacy of his late father, Chris Henry Sr., undoubtedly played a significant role in the young receiver’s decision. Henry Sr.’s NFL career was marred by multiple arrests, and he tragically passed away in December 2009 during a domestic dispute.
Adam “Pacman” Jones, a close friend and former teammate of Chris Henry Sr.’s at West Virginia, stepped up as Henry Jr.’s adoptive father.
Jones, speaking about Henry Jr’s potential, expressed the utmost confidence: “The sky’s the limit for him. He has remarkable ball awareness, can track the deep ball with ease, and his route running is incredibly fluid.”
Ohio State’s coaching staff, led by head coach Ryan Day and offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach Brian Hartline, showed unwavering support for the young prospect, making him their top priority.
“They’re just letting me know that I’m their priority guy,” Henry said of Day and Hartline. “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.”
Hartline’s impact on Ohio State’s receiving corps has been substantial since he assumed the role of wide receivers coach in 2018. The program has successfully recruited and developed 18 ESPN 300 wide receivers during his tenure.
The Buckeyes history of producing NFL-caliber receivers further solidified Henry Jr.’s decision to join the program.
“It honestly played a big role because I see what they’re doing now, and I like how they develop their receivers over there,” he said.
Although they’ll have to wait a few years to see him wear the scarlet and gray, with Henry Jr.’s commitment, the Buckeyes rich legacy of talented receivers promises to continue and thrive.
Looking at the current Buckeyes now that the heat has turned up a tad on Day – What do you think this season has in-store for them?
Will they break their two-game losing streak to Michigan? Will they make it back to the Playoff?
Dare I ask – Will they win the national championship???