“I’m trying to go to Ohio State and to be a guy,” Chris Henry Jr—the No. 1 wide receiver as per ESPN’s 2026 player rankings—had opined just after he had committed to Ryan Day’s arsenal back in July 2023. Son of late NFL WR Chris Henry, who had passed away back in 2009 when Jr was just two years old, the young player’s entry into the hallowed world of football was somewhat guaranteed. However, looks like his life has been getting harder by the day, especially with coaches doubling down on making him flip. But before we get to that…

It’s not just the thrill of football that has brought Junior to the gridiron. It’s also about feeling closer to his father, and embodying what the former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver once envisioned for himself…And for the most part, the young athlete is already halfway there. Just ask his father’s old teammates, and you’re guaranteed to hear a detail list on the similarities.

Take, Henry’s Bengals teammate Touraj Houshmandzadeh Jr for example. As soon as he learnt his peer’s son was living 15 minutes away, the first thing he did was send a text. “If y’all need help, I’m here to help you,” he wrote, which transitioned to the upcoming college football superstar training with the retired veteran. “[Houshmandzadeh will] just be struck by how similar I am to my dad. We’ll just be reminiscing and stuff like that. It’s reassurance for me,” the Mater Dei High School player Jr told ESPN.

His high school’s WR coach James Griffin, on the other hand, opined, “The kid has everything — he’s just like his dad. He’s working his butt off to be elite like that every day,” and even made a groundbreaking comparisons that’s sure to turn heads…”I saw Calvin Johnson live in the flesh. And I saw Larry Fitzgerald. I saw Chris’ daddy, too. To see somebody like him with that long frame move and get out of a cut like he can, I was like, ‘Wow.’ He’s Plaxico Burress mixed with Calvin Johnson and a little bit of Charles Rogers when he was at Michigan State. He is freaking special, bro.” For the unversed:

And perhaps CFB coaches also see just how special the 6-foot-6 and 200-pound young wide receiver is. And that’s also exactly why, despite his commitment to the Ohio State Buckeyes, two other teams have made it a point to entice Henry Jr.

Case in point: The Oregon Ducks. Notably, Junior has continued to visit Dan Lanning’s arsenal despite committing to the Bucks. After his first visit to Eugene during Junior Day, the five-star kid went heavy on the Ducks’ facility and hospitality. ‘‘My interest in Oregon is definitely up there. I would put them right behind Ohio State,” Henry Jr. said to 247 Sports earlier this week.

Now, adding more feathers to the Ducks’ winning cap, the standout WR donned an Oregon duck tracksuit today, clearly hinting where he’s heading next. On his second visit, Henry Jr. shed light on the coaching supremacy of the Big 10 giant. ‘‘When I was up there, I got to talk to Coach Lanning, Coach Adams, and Coach Stein. Their message to me was that I’m a priority for them and that they’re not going to give up,” said the California native.

Oregon flaunts an amazing record of fostering NFL-ready receivers in their locker room. So, if the groundless connection really covers the ground, it would be a solid synergistic gain for both parties.

However, the news comes off as a clear setback to Sherrone Moore and the Michigan Wolverines.

Michigan has heavily been eying Chris Henry Jr. to solidify Bruce Underwood’s spot

The Wolves have emerged as the leading contender in the 2025 recruitment spree. Head Coach Sherrone Moore has had enough of a transfer portal controversy last season, triggering a huge void in their QB spot. After many experiments, he swooped in Bryce Underwood, the elite five-star prospect, to solve the issue. Whether or not Underwood can really fill the shoes is a subject of time, but Moore doesn’t take a risk in his portal movements. On that line, they have been a long contender in pulling Chris Henry Jr., the prized WR on the board.

Key factors like the strategic use of NIL opportunities, along with the appealing opportunity of teaming up with 2025 quarterback phenom Bryce Underwood, made the Wolves a great fit for Henry Jr. busted that idea by quote-tweeting Holland’s post with a photo of OSU wide receivers coach Brian Hartline. He is telling the world, in every language, that he’s a Buckeye. But ultimately, money talks. He has not yet confirmed his preference for Oregon, but Michigan is no longer a factor.

Chances are high that all that outfit thing is nothing serious, and Henry Jr. doesn’t plan a flip unless and until Hartline leaves as he promised. But given the volatile nature of the commitment and de-commitment, you cannot sleep on even at slightest hint at all. Watching Henry Jr.’s movement onward will be fun, nevertheless.