Inside a practice with Chris Henry Jr., and a glimpse at why Ohio State could be ready to play the freshman receiver
"I'm excited to see where this goes for him."
COLUMBUS — As I watched Ohio State receiver Chris Henry Jr. for an entire practice last week, observing the 6-foot-5 freshman work his way through every drill, teammate interaction and gathering of the receivers, two stories about Jeremiah Smith stuck in my head.
One was Smith, at Big Ten Media Days in Chicago, saying he didn’t talk to anybody his freshman year. The other was OSU strength coach Mickey Marotti explaining how Smith, as a true freshman, was the player who set the standard for the 2024 national champs with how he worked.
Talk softly and carry big praise from Mick.
Henry isn’t Smith, in part because he’s taller (by an inch). Watching him at practice is easy. You can always find 15, usually at the edge of every huddle. He hangs back in groups, the tallest peak of every receiver discussion, but never the center of one. He’s not talking. He’s working.
If Smith came to a boil as a freshman with undeniable skills and desire, Henry is percolating. It’s not fair to compare a freshman to the best player in college football. But we also don’t need to avoid the obvious similarities. Because something might be happening here.
I watched Henry for the entirety of the second practice on Aug. 7, and I’m sorry it has taken me this long to share my thoughts. But the time added context. As I watched, the first-team receivers for almost every snap were Smith and transfer Devin McCuin on the outside and Brandon Inniss in the slot. Henry’s first-team reps were limited. Nine days later, that’s not an accurate reflection of how the receivers might be deployed when the season starts.
In talking to people around the team, the freshmen receivers have a real chance — a very real chance right now. Watching the 5-star freshman helped explain why. Here are a few stories from a day observing CHJ.
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