New reports detail what Ryan Day said to Chris Henry Jr. after he decommitted from Ohio State
Wednesday featured an eventful national signing day for the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Before high school recruits put pen to paper across the country, the Buckeyes lost offensive coordinator and recruiting mastermind Brian Hartline to USF.
While Hartline will stay with Ohio State through its College Football Playoff run to defend its national title, his departure has scared a few high-profile recruits.
Namely, five-star wide receiver Chris Henry Jr. backtracked on his commitment to Ohio State after news of Harline’s departure became public.
But according to a new report on Rivals, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day picked up the phone and called one of the best receivers in the country on Wednesday night.
According to the report, Day reminded Henry over the phone that Ohio State had nine first-round wide receivers selected in the NFL draft. He would have reminded the young receiver that Oregon had never produced a first-round receiver in the same amount of time.
Day said Ohio State’s success in getting wideouts in the NFL was a collective effort — and not just the result of Hartline’s voice in the room.
The buzz around the recruiting scene Wednesday was that Henry would be considering the Oregon Ducks as well as Ohio State, as he was previously unaware Hartline had planned to leave the program.
Day’s message is all there is to it. Ohio State consistently produces NFL wide receivers. First-round picks like Emeka Egbuka, Marvin Harrison Jr., Jaxson Smith-Njigba, Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave all became immediate NFL contributors after successful careers in Columbus.
Even mid-range talents like Terry McLaurin and Curtis Samuel have carved out formidable careers in the NFL.
Oregon has some pretty strong NIL support, but Henry said his impending decision isn’t motivated by money. With that in mind, Day’s phone call likely served as a reminder that Ohio State could help the young receiver one day accomplish everything he wants in the NFL.
Currently, Ohio State has at least two first-round picks on its roster. Carnell Tate will undoubtedly be one of the first receivers drafted in April’s draft. In 2027, Jeremiah Smith will likely be one of the first players selected overall, regardless of position.
With Oregon truly transforming itself into a respectable Big Ten program over the past few seasons, Day’s phone call should be enough to convince a young player to play in Columbus — especially if his intentions are to play Sunday football.
