Syracuse 4-star WR commit Calvin Russell not signing on Wednesday

Opa Locka (Fla.) Northwestern four-star wide receiver Calvin Russell shocked many on July 5 when he announced his commitment to Syracuse.

Nearly five months later and Russell has remained pledged to the Orange. He was set to ink with Fran Brown and Co. on Wednesday, but that’s no longer the case. Russell announced at Northwestern’s ceremony that he won’t be signing just yet as he continues to mull his final decision.

“With the decision being made, it’s hard. For three to four days, I’ve been thinking and I won’t be signing today,” he said. It’s currently unknown if Russell is still planning to sign during this week’s period, or if he’ll postpone to a later date.

🚨NEWS🚨 Elite Syracuse WR commit Calvin Russell will postpone his signing, via @BenjaminRivals👀

Read: https://t.co/a7L9aunHrr pic.twitter.com/8eMusq8xMg

— Rivals (@Rivals) December 3, 2025

Russell is the No. 52 overall prospect and No. 7 WR in the 2026 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all major recruiting media companies. He’s also the No. 6 player in Florida.

The 6-foot-5.5 pass-catcher has been pursued heavily by Miami down the stretch. Syracuse has already signed four-star safety Tedarius Hughes, Russell’s Northwestern teammate. Michigan was another program in the mix for Russell this summer.

“I’m not going to lie, I made [my decision] a couple of days ago. Michigan came close, but Coach Fran, the individual he is, how he was raised, I feel it,” Russell told Rivals upon committing to the Orange in July. “How he carries himself, the men I was raised around are similar to him, that’s why I want to be there.”

Russell is the top-ranked commit in Syracuse’s 2026 class. The Orange have built a Florida recruiting pipeline, as Russell is one of six Sunshine State commits in the mix for the ACC program. The full class can be seen here.