Further proof of this is what Fran Brown and co. have been doing on the recruiting trail, bringing in some of the most stacked classes that the Syracuse football program has ever seen. And over 4 th of July weekend, Brown landed his biggest recruit yet: four-star wide receiver Calvin Russell, the No. 28 recruit in the 2026 class according to ESPN.

At a packed venue in Miami’s art district, many gathered to witness five-star Calvin Russell‘s announcement of where he would decide to spend the next three to four years in college. The six-foot-five dual-sport athlete had many schools attempt to earn his pledge,

Five-star wide receiver Calvin Russell committed to Syracuse on Saturday, making him the No. 1 pledge in Fran Brown’s 2026 recruiting class.