Russell committed to Syracuse over Michigan, Florida State and Oregon and he’s the highest-ranked recruit since Johnnie Morant. The 6’5” Russell is ranked 4th best WR in the 2026 class by On3 and is a consensus top-50 player in the class.

The Syracuse Orange football program has recruited on a different level since the arrival of Fran Brown from Georgia before last season. That shows itself in a huge way with the recruit they're in a heated battle for: Calvin Russell III, a 5-star wide receiver from Florida.