Ohio State’s lone commitment in the 2026 class will be in the house for the Buckeyes’ season opener against Akron.
Five-star wide receiver Chris Henry Jr. confirmed he’ll be at OSU’s season opener against the Zips on Saturday, as the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2026 cycle makes his way back to Columbus for the first time since camping with OSU in June.
Back in Columbus this weekend!!!
— Chris Henry Jr (@ChrisHenryJr) August 28, 2024
Go Bucks pic.twitter.com/sC0zedx86X
“I'm always locked in,” Henry told reporters of his Ohio State commitment after the camp in June. “I'm just still enjoying the process of just being a recruit, because this is only happening one time. So, you know, I'm still going to just enjoy it. The other schools, I tell them, like, 'Yeah, it's going to be really hard to try and get me to flip, because it's Ohio State.' This is where I want to be.”
Like Jeremiah Smith before him, Henry committed to Ohio State early and has stayed consistent in saying Columbus is the place he wants to be. But he’s being pursued heavily by other schools, including Big Ten rival Oregon. Saturday will be a big chance for Ohio State to reinforce the bond between its coaches and Henry. It also can’t hurt seeing Smith starting for the Buckeyes as a true freshman, something he hopes to do himself two seasons from now.
Henry plays for California high school powerhouse Mater Dei, and his high school teammate, four-star 2026 wideout Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, will also be making the trip to OSU with Henry. It will be Dixon-Wyatt’s third trip to Ohio State and his first since he visited Columbus last spring.
Blessed to see another year pic.twitter.com/Nv5ysfriJK
— Kayden Dixon-Wyatt (@kayyydeenn) August 21, 2024
Per 247Sports’ composite rankings, Dixon-Wyatt is considered the No. 144 prospect and the No. 24 wide receiver in the 2026 cycle.
Asher Ghioto picks up OSU offer
Ohio State has offered its fourth prospect in the 2028 class.
Buckeyes tight end coach Keenan Bailey offered Florida tight end Asher Ghioto on Tuesday after speaking with his high school teammate and fellow OSU target, four-star 2026 tight end Corbyn Fordham, about Ghioto.
“It was amazing,” Ghioto told Eleven Warriors of his OSU offer. “I was just getting out of class and my teammate Corbyn Fordham had texted me and told me the coaches texted him about me asking them about me and basically asked him if they should offer me and how I was as a person and stuff like that. When I got to Corbyn, they FaceTimed him and put me on the phone and (coach Bailey) basically let me know he wanted to offer me a scholarship there.”
Super excited and blessed to receive an offer from THE Ohio State University!!! #AGTG #GoBucks @ryandaytime @CoachKee @OhioStateFB @Birm @DeshawnBrownInc @Bolles_Football @ToddFordham78 pic.twitter.com/ejPHTqjvL0
— Asher Ghioto (@Asherghioto34) August 27, 2024
The 6-foot-4, 230-pound prospect is being heavily recruited by other schools as both a tight end and a defensive lineman. He’s earned 12 Division I offers so far, including Baylor, Boston College, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Louisville, Memphis, Rutgers, Syracuse, Washington and UCF.
Ghioto says he’ll likely make his first visit to OSU in October when the Buckeyes face Nebraska.
Elijah Kimble also visiting Columbus Saturday
Henry and Dixon-Wyatt won’t be the only notable visitors on campus this weekend. Elijah Kimble, a talented running back prospect in the 2027 class, announced he’ll be in Ohio Stadium on Saturday for the season opener.
Excited to be at the Shoe this weekend. Columbus see you soon!! @Locklyn33 @TonyJCoach @markpantoni @ryandaytime #GoBucks @OhioStateFB pic.twitter.com/O5zEgtFOJ6
— Elijah Kimble (@ElijahKimble0) August 28, 2024
Kimble hasn’t received an offer from OSU as of yet, but has visited campus several times. He's picked up offers from Michigan, Oregon, Penn State, Purdue, Syracuse, Toledo and West Virginia.
