5-star may have inked big NIL deal, but he committed to Syracuse football due to Fran Brown

Following the pledge by 2026 five-star wide receiver Calvin Russell lll to Syracuse football, a report earlier this week from top On3 expert Pete Nakos stated that the two-sport star may have agreed to a name, image and likeness ("NIL") deal with the Orange valued in the multi-year, multi-million-dollar range.

That's all well and good, and it wouldn't surprise me if the 6-foot-5, 190-pound Russell has inked, or will sign, a lucrative NIL deal with the 'Cuse. One thing I'll be curious to know is the breakdown of Russell's NIL money: Syracuse Athletics can now pay its athletes directly, while there remain three third-party NIL collectives supporting SU players.

Still, based on interviews that he's given, and commentary from various national analysts and recruiting insiders, Russell didn't appear to choose Syracuse football (and basketball) over Michigan, Oregon and Florida State because of NIL funds.

Some people may not believe that. It's cool. That's their right. But for me, why the Orange landed its highest-ranked commit in more than two decades comes down to this.

Five-star Calvin Russell lll picked the 'Cuse for this main reason.

Syracuse football head coach Fran Brown recruited Russell harder than anyone else, and Brown has formed the strongest relationship with Russell and his family among all the teams who had been vying for this supremely talented young man.

To that end, this past Thursday, Nakos said in an interview posted to the X account of Cuse Sports Talk: "If he was really all about the money, he would've gone to Michigan."

I totally agree with Pete, although from what I've heard, Syracuse's NIL package for Russell was competitive with Michigan and other suitors. As Nakos noted in his radio interview, though, what separated the Orange from the pack - and Russell held more than 50 scholarship offers - is his dynamic with Brown.

Now, the early national signing period for 2026 prospects won't come until this December, so Michigan and others could try to flip the top-25 national prospect in football and versatile wing in basketball, and maybe that includes sweetening the NIL pot.

At the same time, Russell has said he's shut his recruitment down, telling Rivals analyst Marcus Benjamin, "It’s over. I’m done. There will be nothing else going on with my recruitment. I’m done."

Not too long ago, Russell also signed an NIL deal with athletic apparel and footwear giant Adidas. Terms of that agreement weren't disclosed. I assume that Russell will have tons of NIL opportunities once he comes to Central New York.

However, why he decided to choose the 'Cuse was due to Brown's consistency in recruiting Russell, and the Orange head coach's character, honesty, and the culture he's building on the Hill.

I have no doubt that other five-star prospects will join Russell at Syracuse football in the future.