Chris Henry Jr. injury: What happened to Ohio State five-star WR commit? 

Five-star wide receiver Chris Henry Jr., the first and only committed player in Ohio State's 2026 recruiting class, has encountered a huge setback in his football journey. The son of the late West Virginia legend Chris Henry Sr., Henry transferred from Withrow High School in Cincinnati to Mater Dei in Santa Ana, California, to complete his junior season. Unfortunately, during a game against Bishop Gorman on Sept. 6, he suffered a knee injury.

According to a post by Rivals, Henry is now out for the remainder of the season due to the injury. The initial incident occurred after a play when he became tangled with a Bishop Gorman cornerback, which hyperextended his knee.

Henry was seen walking off the field under his own power, and hopes were high that he would recover within a week or two. But subsequent evaluations revealed that he would be sidelined for the remainder of the season. However, the Ohio State commit remains optimistic about his recovery. He retweeted the injury update on X, writing,

"I'll be back."

This injury marks a huge blow to Henry's junior season, especially after his phenomenal performance last year, where he achieved first-team honors on the MaxPreps Sophomore All-America squad. He tallied 71 receptions for 1,127 yards and 10 touchdowns that season.

Chris Henry Jr. is on the way to replicate his father's success

During his two seasons with the Mountaineers, Chris Henry Sr. recorded 1,878 receiving yards and 22 touchdowns. He later became a key target for the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer in the mid-2000s. Henry Sr. unfortunately died in 2009 but Chris Henry Jr. is now on the way to follow in his father's footsteps.

Mater Dei wide receiver coach James Griffin has noted striking similarities between father and son.

"I think everybody in his life wants to see Chris Henry Jr. play on Sundays," Griffin told ESPN. "The kid has everything -- he's just like his dad. He's working his butt off to be elite like that every day."

Henry Jr. is currently training in California with T.J. Houshmandzadeh, another of his father’s former Bengals teammates. This mentorship provides him with a deep connection to his father’s legacy.

"[Houshmandzadeh will] just be struck by how similar I am to my dad," Henry said "We'll just be reminiscing and stuff like that. It's reassurance for me."

Chris Henry Jr. is ranked by On3 as the No. 2 overall prospect in the nation, the top wide receiver in the 2026 class and also the top recruit in California. Rivals also places him as the top receiver in the class and top prospect in the state.