NFL Legacy, Ohio State Target Henry Visits Columbus: 2026 Buckeye Tracker

The latest news surrounding Buckeye targets, commitments and signees in the college football class of 2026

Author:
Buckeyes Now Staff
Mar 24, 2023 11:39 AM EDT

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Ohio State Buckeyes

As the college football world turns the page to the national recruiting class of 2024, there will be plenty of eyes on the future of Ohio State football among the nation's best in that cycle and of course -- well beyond.

Multiple OSU recruiting classes are off to a strong start early on, with plenty of attention on the nation's rising-sophomore recruits in the class of 2026 now included.

To continue the recent run of potential College Football Playoff appearances, the talent has to continue to flock to Columbus in droves for junior days, spring practices, official visits and much more.

Buckeyes Now will track the daily movement in the class of 2026 all in one place here.

March 24

An NFL legacy recruit within state lines has returned from a trip to Ohio State.

Chris Henry, Jr., the son of the former West Virginia and of course late NFL wide receiver of the same name, is an electric class of 2026 recruit already on major college football radar despite being a current high school freshman.

The rising-sophomore was in Columbus this week and shared photos from the trip to see Ryan Day's program.

The 6-foot-5, 185-pound prospect has already collected more than 20 scholarship offers despite his youth. OSU, which has hosted him at least three times as a prospect, is included in that group after extending an offer Henry's way last summer.

“He’s a great coach,” Henry said of Brian Hartline after that camp effort. “He helped me throughout the drills and he helped me get better today. I think he liked my ability to track the ball down, my speed and that I’m a very coachable player."

Prepping at Cincinnati (Ohio) Withrow High School, Henry also competed on the basketball court. In six varsity football games, he hauled in a trio of touchdowns as a freshman in 2022.

February 23

One of the nation's very best prep prospects, regardless of classification or position, has locked in a recruiting trip to Columbus for an initial look at Ohio State, per 247Sports.

Julian 'Juju' Lewis, the reigning MaxPreps National Freshman of the Year after a brilliant 2022 campaign quarterbacking Carrollton (Ga.) High School to a 14-1 state championship runner-up season in the fall. Through the freshman campaign, the coveted passer racked up a staggering 4,118 passing yards and 48 touchdowns against strong competition.

Well before the 2022 display, though, Lewis has been viewed as a national recruit. The 6-foot-1, 175-pounder holds more than 30 scholarship offers, ranging from national champion Georgia to Deion Sanders' Colorado program and plenty in between.

Ohio State jumped in the race for Lewis in January, less than a week after the frosh was named National Freshman of the Year. He and his family will make a weekend trip to Columbus in mid-April, in time for the Buckeyes' spring game on April 15.