Ohio State football recruiting: Buckeyes commit Chris Henry Jr. transferring to Mater Dei High School

Henry is ranked as the No. 7 overall player in the 2026 recruiting rankings

Ohio State commit Chris Henry Jr. is transferring to Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California, he announced on Monday. The son of late NFL wide receiver Chris Henry played last season at Withrow High School in Cincinnati, Ohio where he caught 71 passes for 1,127 yards and 10 touchdowns as a sophomore.

“I appreciate having the opportunity to compete in the same city my father played and receiving all the love from the community for the past 2.5 years,” Henry wrote on social media. “Cincinnati will always be a special place to my siblings and I.”

Henry committed to Ohio State last summer becoming the latest highly touted wide receiver to land with the Buckeyes. The No. 7 overall player in the 2026 recruiting rankings by 247Sports will now spend his final two seasons playing for the Southern California powerhouse before heading off to Columbus to start his college career.

Henry’s father died in 2009 after he fell out of the back of a moving truck during a domestic dispute. Following his death, former West Virginia teammate Adam “Pacman” Jones took Henry Jr. and his siblings in and helped him navigate the recruiting process.

The younger Henry ultimately committed to Ohio State over the likes of USC, Michigan, Notre Dame, Tennessee and more. He was also an early priority for West Virginia, the school where his late father became an NFL Draft pick.