Syracuse landed a seismic addition within the 2026 class Saturday night time when four-star vast receiver Calvin Russell, ESPN’s No. 28 general recruit, introduced his dedication to the Orange.
Russell, a 6-foot-6, 190-pound downfield goal from Miami, Florida, is ESPN’s fourth-ranked vast receiver within the 2026 class. He selected Syracuse over finalists Michigan, Florida State and Oregon following a pair of unofficial visits with this system this spring.
Russell lands with the Orange because the No. 1 pledge in Syracuse coach Fran Brown’s 2026 class. If Russell indicators later this yr, he can be the highest-ranked addition in program historical past.
Russell is the son of former Miami ladies’s basketball participant Chanivia Broussard and a three-sport standout at Miami Northwestern Excessive Faculty, the place he received a 3A state title in 2024 underneath head coach and former NFL quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.
He was credited with 39 receptions for 704 yards and 13 touchdowns in his junior marketing campaign final fall. A talented small ahead who averaged 21.0 factors and seven.0 rebounds per sport in his sophomore basketball season, Russell can be anticipated to pursue the chance to play faculty basketball with the Orange.
Russell marks one other milestone pledge for Syracuse underneath Brown, who additionally landed ESPN 300 security Demetres Samuel in 2025.
Russell follows prime 300 defensive finish Kamron Wilson (No. 285 general) as Syracuse’s second ESPN 300 commit this cycle and represents this system’s twenty sixth general pledge within the 2026 class. Russell leads a deep 2026 Syracuse vast receiver that additionally contains go catchers Amare Gough, B.J. Garrett, Phoenix Henriquez and Zikhere Leaks round three-star quarterback Zaid Lott, who flipped his pledge from North Carolina in March.