5-star Calvin Russell commits to Syracuse in biggest recruiting win for Orange in decades

Late Saturday night marked an absolutely momentous occasion for the Syracuse Orange football program.

Calvin Russell III, a 5-star wide receiver from Miami, had four schools on his finalists list as a Class of 2026 recruit: Michigan, Florida State, Oregon and SU.

Russell chose the Orange.

He’s the highest-ranked recruit landed by Syracuse in the last two decades.

SU head coach Fran Brown, entering his second season on the sideline, has officially proven that the Orange could be a force going forward as long as he’s leading the way.

Russell is an incredible talent, a 6-foot-5 monster on the perimeter who would’ve fit in any program in the country, and he decided to bring that talent to Syracuse.

“It’s about trusting the process and finding the right people to grow on and off the field with,” Russell said in a press release. “I’m thankful for everyone who’s been part of this journey, and I’m ready to work and give everything I got to Syracuse. This is the next step toward what I’ve been working for my entire life.”

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Russell’s mother was a hall of fame basketball player at Miami. The athletic genes are strong.

“Watching Calvin commit to Syracuse is one of the proudest moments of my life,” said mother Chanivia Broussard via a press release. “He’s worked so hard in both sports, and now he gets to live out both dreams at a school that truly values who he is on and off the field.”

In this modern world of recruiting, Syracuse will have to work hard to make sure Russell doesn’t flip late in the game.

But if he sticks with it, Russell has instantly become an Orange star before even arriving in central New York. He could be the strongest signal yet of an incredibly bright football future at SU.