Ohio State faces unprecedented recruiting battle for Chris Henry Jr. as West Coast schools offer 'stipend' to lure him away
The Ohio State Buckeyes have had a commitment from Chris Henry Jr. for the last year and a half, and he's been steadfast in saying that he's locked in with the program as long as Brian Hartline is with the team. Hartline was promoted to play-calling offensive coordinator this offseason, but Henry has been receiving […]
The Ohio State Buckeyes have had a commitment from Chris Henry Jr. for the last year and a half, and he's been steadfast in saying that he's locked in with the program as long as Brian Hartline is with the team. Hartline was promoted to play-calling offensive coordinator this offseason, but Henry has been receiving continued attention from Oregon, USC, Georgia, and Miami.
On one of the most recent THE Podcast editions, Ohio State insider Jeremy Birmingham discussed some of the 5-star receiver's experiences. The son of a former NFL star of the same name was offered by Ohio State as an eighth-grader and was compared to Randy Moss.
With that in mind, it shouldn't be surprising that West Coast teams are taking advantage of their legal advantages over Ohio when it comes to offering money. Living an hour and a half from USC, Birmingham has heard that "some schools are already offering to pay a monthly stipend to Chris Henry now to get ahead of NIL."
Birmingham noted this isn't legal, but California has rules that are different from those of other states, namely Florida. Jeremiah Smith, the Buckeyes' current freak phenom at receiver, came from Florida before the 2024 season.
"There are probably loopholes that make it legal. It's illegal to use NIL as a recruiting inducement, but the high school athletes can be paid in California."
While the Buckeyes can promise the world to Henry, he still has to wait eight months before cashing in. That's a long time for Ohio State to be forced to sit tight while USC or others make up ground.
Henry's sister plays basketball at Ohio State, and he grew up in Ohio, so some ties still exist despite his move out to California.
That said, Birmingham said his visit schedule is nothing alarming, and his worry level is a three out of 10. There will be a flurry of pieces from West Coast writers looking to draw eyes, but there's no reason to think the Buckeyes will lose him if Hartline is in the building.
