The wait is over, my friends.
The dialogue on social media and in chat forums from Syracuse football fans lately has proven equal parts exciting and anxious about the future collegiate home of 2026 priority recruit Calvin Russell lll.
Now, as many Orange fans will agree with me here, even if the five-star wide receiver from the Sunshine State doesn't pick the 'Cuse on Saturday, the assumption is that head coach Fran Brown and his top-flight staff will continue to recruit Russell until he puts pen to paper during either the early or traditional signing period for 2026 prospects.
Russell, a top-25 national prospect in the 2026 cycle, is making his college decision known on Saturday, July 5, which is also his birthday. Fun.
Syracuse football fans are about to find out where 2026 5-star WR Calvin Russell lll is headed.
Per a graphic regarding his commitment announcement, Russell is scheduled to make his decision around 9 pm EST. Also according to that graphic, he has a final four of the 'Cuse, Oregon, Florida State and Michigan.
The 6-foot-5, 190-pound Russell is a standout wide receiver and basketball player at Miami Northwestern Senior High School. In the 2024 season, as a junior, he helped lead Miami Northwestern to a state title in football.
Russell reportedly holds a scholarship offer from the Syracuse basketball program, he has said on his Instagram page. He has intimated on numerous occasions the importance of playing both football and basketball in college.
It's been challenging to gauge which way Russell is leaning. National analysts, in recent weeks and days, have opinned about the presumed favorites, and sometimes Syracuse football is noted, and sometimes the Orange is not.
Earlier this summer, LSU had buzz for Russell, but the Tigers aren't even listed in the top four on his commitment announcement graphic. Fresh off a recent official visit to Michigan, the Wolvernines have secured considerable buzz for Russell.
As I was writing this column on Thursday, my best guess at this juncture is that it could come down to Syracuse football and Michigan for Russell. By all accounts, Brown and Russell are super tight, and Russell would be a huge star on the Hill in both sports were he to commit to the Orange.
The chatter is that from an NIL perspective, the 'Cuse can be competitive, although from my perspective, Michigan likely has greater resources than Syracuse in this regard. Also, on Thursday, the LSU prediction for Russell via On3 was gone, and there was a new projection in Michigan's direction for him on that Web site.
Of course, it's going to sting in Orange Nation if Russell heads to Michigan or any other suitor other than the 'Cuse. Yes, Syracuse football has a top-30 class in 2026 that features several three-star wide receivers, but prevailing for Russell would be a game-changer on the Hill for numerous reasons.
Saturday evening can't get here soon enough for Orange fans. Hopefully, some of those analyst forecasts for Russell switch over to the 'Cuse between now and when he announces.