The 25th installment of the Navy All-American Bowl will take place on Saturday in Texas, and a Syracuse football 2026 priority recruiting target is competing in this prestigious annual event.
Calvin Russell, a four-star wide receiver and a top-15 national prospect in the high school junior class, is among those suiting up at this year's Navy All-American Bowl, which will kick off at 1 pm on January 11 from the Alamodome in San Antonio.
NBC and streaming service Peacock will air the 2025 Navy All-American Bowl, which pits the East versus the West in this all-star game showcase. The 6-foot-5, 190-pound Russell, who holds a 'Cuse offer and has visited the Hill, is on the East roster.
By the way, a huge congrats from Orange Nation to Calvin!
Syracuse football is recruiting 2026 4-star WR Calvin Russell hard.
The 'Cuse staff, led by head coach Fran Brown, re-offered a scholarship to Russell on January 20 of last year. While Russell has a ridiculous total number of offers, several media reports in recent months suggest that he's high on Syracuse football.
Blessed To Be Re-Offered From Syracuse University🧡💙 @franbrowncuse @rossdoug21 @coachnixon_nyg @coach_2cap
— Calvin Russell Dual Sport Ath (@14gump_) January 20, 2024
Per reports, Russell was in attendance at the JMA Wireless Dome in early November when the Orange knocked off Virginia Tech. Also on hand for that 'Cuse victory was 2026 four-star defensive back J'Vari Flowers, another Syracuse football priority recruiting target.
Flowers and Russell are teammates at Miami Northwestern Senior High School, whose roster this past season also included several Orange three-star commits in the program's 2025 class.
https://t.co/tdAK6ChNoD Check Out My Regular Season Film Ft 18 TD’s @mnw_fb @TheCribSouthFLA @305Sportss @larryblustein @adamgorney @RivalsFriedman 5⭐️ Loading.. pic.twitter.com/uB4m0eyFTc
— Calvin Russell Dual Sport Ath (@14gump_) November 5, 2023
Last month, Miami Northwestern (12-2 overall) won the Florida High School Athletic Association ("FHSAA") 3A state championship, defeating Raines High School in Jacksonville, Fla., in the title game by a final of 41-0.
Over the weekend, Miami Northwestern Senior High School (@mnw_fb) won a Florida state championship in dominating fashion. The Bulls' 2024 roster includes Syracuse football 2025 3-star commits and a 'Cuse 2026 5-star priority target (via @DAMNTWIN). 🧡🔽 https://t.co/J02lcg98QD
— InsideTheLoudHouse (@LoudHouseFS) December 17, 2024
Russell, who also was in Central New York when Syracuse football upset then-No. 6 Miami in late November, caught four passes for 59 yards and two touchdowns in the FHSAA 3A state championship encounter.
When I wrote this article on Friday, the industry-generated 247Sports Composite, within the 2026 class, placed Russell at No. 15 overall, No. 3 at wide receiver and No. 2 in Florida.
Speaking of the Sunshine State, Brown and his top-flight staff continue to make Florida a recruiting emphasis, evidenced by the Orange's numerous 2025 signees who hail from that state. Additionally, the 'Cuse has four verbal pledges in a 2026 cycle that currently ranks in the top 20 nationwide, with one of those commits coming from Florida, too.
In an evaluation published last June, 247Sports director of scouting Andrew Ivins wrote in part about Russell, "Gifted athlete with a 6-foot-5 frame that has a chance to be special on Saturdays and potentially even Sundays with his tools."