John Calipari and Arkansas are kicking off a crucial recruiting run with one of the biggest names in the 2027 class.
Consensus five-star forward DeMarcus Henry, the No. 4 overall player in the cycle and a priority target for the Razorbacks, begins his official visit to Fayetteville on Saturday. The 6-foot-8 forward is the first of six 2027 prospects scheduled to take official visits to Arkansas between this weekend and the Oct. 30 weekend.
The schedule is stacked from there. Composite five-star combo guard King Gibson is set to begin his visit Monday, followed by CJ Rosser, the No. 2 overall player and top-ranked power forward in 2027, for a Sept. 28-29 trip.
Arkansas will then host five-star combo guard Adan Diggs on Oct. 10, before five-star point guard Cayden Daughtry closes out the current list with an Oct. 30 visit. Daughtry is ranked No. 3 overall and second among point guards in the class, according to 247Sports.
There’s also a chance the Razorbacks get another major name on campus this fall. Arkansas is expected to host consensus No. 1 prospect Beckham Black, who has already been to Fayetteville once in an unofficial capacity. Black, the younger brother of Razorback great Anthony Black, was in the building for Arkansas’ 105-85 win over Texas on March 4.
Henry’s visit comes with plenty of attention attached. The 6-8, 190-pound forward is the son of Cincinnati Bengals legend Chris Henry, who played wide receiver in the NFL in the early 2000s. His older brother, Chris Henry Jr., chose football and is now a freshman wide receiver at Ohio State.
Back in July, Henry trimmed his list to eight schools: Arkansas, Kansas, Ohio State, Louisville, Kentucky, North Carolina, BYU and UConn. Duke later jumped in on Aug. 15 with an offer and interest, adding another heavyweight to the mix.
This will be Henry’s third official visit. He has already been to Louisville on Sept. 1 and UConn on Sept.
- He also made an unofficial trip to Columbus for Ohio State’s home opener on Sept. 5, with his brother already in the Buckeyes’ program.
Arkansas has been in a strong position for a while. Calipari and his staff visited Henry at Compass Prep on Sept. 9, and the Razorbacks have had him near the top of their board from early in the process. A strong weekend could help Arkansas build momentum, though Henry is still far from a decision.
The appeal is obvious when you look at the scouting report. From 247Sports Director of Scouting Adam Finkelstein, Henry is described as “a big lefty wing who combines physical tools with an ascending skill-set.” Finkelstein noted his 6-foot-7 frame, 6-foot-11 wingspan and growing strength, along with his ability to move smoothly, cover ground and slide his feet.
Henry’s defensive upside stands out because of that size and mobility. Finkelstein pointed to his switchability, plus production in the EYBL, where he averaged 1.8 steals and 1.3 blocks per game for more than 3 stocks a night. He also rebounded at a high level, pulling down 9.2 boards per game in EYBL play, including 2.9 offensive rebounds, and 8.4 in EYBL Scholastic competition.
Offensively, Henry has long looked like a secondary threat, with shooting touch and a pull-up game that showed up in EYBL Scholastic, where he shot 38% from three. But his grassroots season showed a bigger ceiling. He averaged 19 points on 52% shooting, with noticeable growth as a creator and shot-maker.
There is still work to do, according to the scouting report. Henry needs to finish more forcefully through contact, get to his spots more efficiently and sharpen his feel and decision-making, especially with 2.6 assists against 2.7 turnovers.
Even so, the direction of his game has changed. What once looked like a high-floor 3-and-D wing is now trending toward something more, and with a strong work ethic to match his tools, Henry’s rise is still underway.
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