Gorbett’s Orbit: Chris Henry Jr. Needs To Start Week One

When Ohio State’s first-team offense came out on the field for the spring game, there was one notable player on the sideline. Despite playing a position that isn’t occupied by a returning starter, five-star freshman receiver Chris Henry Jr. was not on the field with the rest of the Buckeyes’ starters.

Instead, it was former UTSA transfer Devin McCuin who got first-team reps. Henry still showed up when he eventually got on the field. Working with the Buckeyes’ second-teamers, Henry finished the game with team-high totals of four catches for 96 yards and a touchdown.

He wasn’t facing the Buckeyes’ best defenders, but in the spring game, Henry still proved he has the speed and route-running proficiency to be an explosive playmaker. In my opinion, Henry is the exact type of player Ohio State needs on the field early on in the season.

When Henry, a physically imposing 6-5, five-star receiver, officially signed with Ohio State, many wondered if he could have the type of freshman season that superstar receiver Jeremiah Smith had. I am well-aware that it’s completely unfair to expect Henry to play as Smith did as a freshman, because Smith had the greatest freshman season a receiver has ever had at Ohio State. But the good news for the Buckeyes is that they don’t need Henry to be the focal point of the offense. Smith is still on the roster and is well-equipped to lead Ohio State’s offense.

What the Buckeyes’ offense needs is someone who can play like former star receiver Carnell Tate. Based on what we’ve seen in the spring, no one is more capable of busting coverages deep down the field and being a reliable deep-ball threat than Henry.

Am I expecting Henry to play at an All-American level like Tate did last year? Of course not. Henry was not without his faults in the spring. Even though he was the star of the spring game itself, Henry dropped a very catchable pass early on in the game.

Freshmen certainly aren’t perfect, though, and mistakes are to be expected. Even Smith, who may go down as the best receiver in program history, started his career with a drop in his first collegiate game. The key for any freshman is to work through those mistakes and not repeat them. Henry seems to be off to a good start as it pertains to work ethic. He became the second freshman to have his black stripe removed on April 15.

Henry’s competition for the third starting receiver spot didn’t exactly do much to prove themselves in the spring game.

McCuin finished the spring game with two catches for 10 yards, and former LSU transfer Kyle Parker didn’t record a reception in the game.

This isn’t meant to disparage McCuin or Parker. I think both players can be serviceable for Ohio State both this season and in the future, but I’m not sure either fits the mold of a starting boundary receiver for Ohio State.

Over the last three seasons, the only four Buckeye receivers to start on the outside have been Smith, Tate, Marvin Harrison Jr. and Julian Fleming. Each of those players, with maybe the exception of Fleming, was tall and athletic with impressive ball-skills. McCain is speedy, shifty and can make would-be tacklers miss in the open field, but he’s only 6-0. Parker projects as a reliable security blanket, but he’s only 5-10. I wouldn’t be surprised if either of those players gives Ohio State some yards after the catch, but I’m not convinced they can be the sort of imposing deep threat the team needs alongside starting receivers Brandon Inniss and Smith.

I also don’t think Henry should have to bide his time, starting the regular season on the bench. Frankly, with Texas, one of the most talented teams in the country, on the schedule in week 2, the Buckeyes will need their best players on the field immediately.

Henry needs to learn on the job to start the regular season. Of course, he will make freshman mistakes, but Henry also gives the Buckeyes the type of rare skillset they need at the outside receiver position and should be on the field to start the season.