LSU Country

Michigan Wolverines Trending for Five-Star LSU Football Wide Receiver Target

Brian Kelly and Co. remain in pursuit of the highly-touted wideout, Sunshine State native trims his list.
Zack Nagy|
Courtesy of Calvin Russell's X/Twitter: @14gump.

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Miami (Fla.) Northwestern five-star wide receiver Calvin Russell continues a critical stretch in his recruitment process with three programs beginning to separate from the pack this offseason.

Russell, the No. 3 rated wideout in the 2026 Recruiting Cycle, has earned offers from the "Who's Who" of college football following a dominant junior campaign in the Sunshine State.

The 6-foot-5, 195-pounder has secured scholarships from the likes of the LSU Tigers, Michigan Wolverines, Oregon Ducks, Florida Gators and Miami Hurricanes, among several others.

This summer, the Florida native hit the road to check-in with multiple programs as he evaluated the contenders in his process.

Russell officially visited the LSU Tigers, Oregon Ducks and Miami Hurricanes first with the hometown program continuing to push all the right buttons.

He also took a multi-day stay to see the Florida State Seminoles and Michigan Wolverines in June to round out a strenuous stretch.

With trips to see LSU, Oregon, Miami, Florida State and Michigan, Russell has multiple schools to keep tabs on in his process.

The five-star previously received a crystal ball prediction via On3 Sports' Stephen Wagner in favor of the LSU Tigers winning out for his services following a productive official visit to Baton Rouge.

But Wagner isn't the only analyst that believes LSU has the edge:

Despite the Tigers appearing to make noise in Russell's process, a Big Ten program began gaining traction following an official visit in June: Michigan.

Sheronne Moore and the Michigan Wolverines hosted Russell to Ann Arbor (Mich.) for a multi-day stay where the program started pushing all the right buttons.

The ability to be a dual-sport athlete intrigues Russell with the five-star wide receiver getting the chance to soak in the scenes of the basketball program as well.

Following an official visit, the Wolverines began receiving crystal ball predictions with Rivals placing one of their own.

Now, Russell has three programs at the top of his list with the Michigan Wolverines, Florida State Seminoles and Oregon Ducks gaining traction.

LSU remains on the outside looking in for Russell with three top schools revealed and the Michigan program picking up steam.

Russell has a commitment date locked in for July 5 with the LSU Tigers still keeping a foot on the gas, but remaining an outside school despite a positive visit in June.

The Bayou Bengals hold commitments from a trio of coveted wideouts in the 2026 Recruiting Cycle with Tristen Keys [No. 1 WR], Jabari Mack and Kenny Darby all pledged to the program.

Keys, the No. 1 receiver in America, headlines the program's 2026 Recruiting Class with the Tigers looking to stack more talent this summer.

LSU hosted Jase Mathews, a top-five wide receiver in America, and Boobie Feaster for official visits this summer as they look for a fourth wideout in the 2026 class.

More LSU News:

LSU Football Wide Receiver Donating NIL Money Back to High School for Title Rings

LSU Football Holds Commitments From a Pair of Top-10 Wide Receivers in America

Brian Kelly's Take: LSU Football Searching for Ideal Starting Offensive Line Rotation

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Zack Nagy
ZACK NAGY

Zack Nagy is the Managing Editor and Publisher of LSU Country, a Sports Illustrated Publication. Nagy has covered Tiger Football, Basketball, Baseball and Recruiting, looking to keep readers updated on anything and everything involving LSU athletics. 

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