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Eli Lederman
Syracuse landed a seismic addition within the 2026 class Saturday night time when four-star extensive receiver Calvin Russell, ESPN’s No. 28 total recruit, introduced his dedication to the Orange.
Russell, a 6-foot-6, 190-pound downfield goal from Miami, Florida, is ESPN’s fourth-ranked extensive 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 girls’s basketball participant Chanivia Broussard and is a three-sport standout at Miami Northwestern Excessive College, the place he received a 3A state title in 2024 below 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 school basketball with the Orange.
Russell marks one other milestone pledge for Syracuse below Brown, who additionally landed ESPN 300 security Demetres Samuel in 2025.
Russell follows high 300 defensive finish Kamron Wilson (No. 285 total) as Syracuse’s second ESPN 300 commit this cycle and represents this system’s twenty sixth total pledge within the 2026 class. Russell leads a deep 2026 Syracuse extensive receiver workforce that additionally consists of move 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.
