5-Star Calvin Russell Teases College Football Future in Big Bryce Underwood Admission

In the world of college football, 5-star wide receiver Calvin Russell is making some serious noise. The Florida native has made up his mind to make the most-awaited commitment announcement on July 5. With just a week away from making the announcement, Russell has almost completed his official college visits. Interested in both Basketball and Football, he is the No. 21 overall prospect and No. 3 wide receiver from Miami Northwestern in the 2026 class per 247Sports. With such rankings, his top-5 also looks interesting…

But before that, the WR is in a teasing mood as he has announced the dates, but has kept everyone in suspense regarding the selection. He is busy weighing his options, visiting schools, and meeting coaches and players to come to a conclusion. “I have an idea, but it’s not really set in stone,” Russell said of his final decision. It’s only fair to do the research before jumping to conclusions, isn’t it? Growing up in South Florida, Russell carved his place as the No. 2 wide receiver in his class. His 6 feet 5 inches height gives him the upper hand, which is why everyone wants him. The interesting part? He knows it.

Filtering out multiple offers, Russell has finally boiled down his top five schools: Michigan, Oregon, LSU, Florida State, and Miami. There are chances of Miami being in contention since the 5-star recruit belongs to the place. But his June 20 visit to Michigan has created a different spark among the football fans. Russel dropped a major hint involving Michigan’s QB Bryce Underwood.

Michigan has Underwood in its program, but they need a partner to support him, and who’s better than Russell? “I had a nice time with Bryce Underwood,” Russell said. “He can throw it so I felt like it was a good fit. Life after football was a big thing with my official visit. Other than that, just the guys being around, great people around the building.” Apart from Michigan, Russell didn’t dismiss the ongoing buzz about LSU. He played it smart. He kept the guessing game open.

“LSU is LSU,” the WR said. “It’s just great things. Produce a lot of receivers. Great environment.” His visit to LSU over the Memorial Day weekend seemed to have ended on a good note. He spent some days on the campus and with head coach Brian Kelly. While nothing is certain as of now, it will surely be interesting to see where Russell will head.

Calvin Russell is not your ordinary Joe

There’s a reason why all the bigshot programs are going ga-ga over Calvin Russell. In 2024, the Northwestern High School player caught 39 passes for 704 yards, with 18.05 YPC, and 13 touchdowns, per MaxPreps. He was also hailed as a star player for a Miami Northwestern team that grabbed a Sunshine State 3A title under the direction of Coach Teddy Bridgewater.

247Sport’s scouting director, Andrew Ivins, praised the wideout for his “Superb body control,” implying he’s a dream for the quarterbacks. “[Russell] should be viewed as a potential impact pass catcher for a College Football Playoff contender that can be positioned all around the field in hopes of creating mismatches. One of those good-at-everything athletes that could legitimately play two spots in college as he’s also being recruited by basketball high majors,” added Ivins. Russell also got offers from the basketball programs of Michigan, Illinois, LSU, Arizona State, Penn State, FAU, and Tulane.

Athleticism is what Russell eats and breathes, and winning his commitment would be nothing but a smoother chance to the natty in 2026. If Michigan can play the cards right and keep the wideout interested, July 5 might turn out to be a major day of celebration for them.