Oregon Ducks Falling Behind In Race For Five-Star Recruit Calvin Russell?

Oregon Ducks recruiting target, five-star wide receiver Calvin Russell is set to make his commitment on July 5. The race is down to four teams, with Oregon, the Michigan Wolverines, Florida State Seminoles, and the Syracuse Orange all battling for his commitment.

Miami Northwestern's Calvin Russell Jr. takes a selfie with his state medal after his team won the Class 3A championship against Raines on Dec. 14, 2024. | Chet Peterman / Special to The Post / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After the Oregon Ducks received the commitment from five-star offensive tackle Immanuel Iheanacho, now the crown jewel of their 2026 recruiting class, the Ducks are on the hunt for another five-star recruit. Five-star wide receiver Calvin Russell is expected to announce his commitment on Saturday, July 5. 

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning speaks during a press availability Thursday, March 13, 2025, at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex in Eugene, Ore. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Russell is a two-sport athlete and hails from Miami, Florida, attending Northwestern High School.  Russell, the 6-5 wide receiver, is the No. 12 wide receiver in the class of 2026, according to On3. Russell and Northwestern High School clinched the Florida 3A State title this past season under coach Teddy Bridgewater. Russell had an incredible junior season, reeling in 39 catches for 704 yards and tacking on 13 touchdowns. 

Oregon is in the final four for Russell, who is deciding between the Ducks, Michigan, Florida State, and Syracuse. There is a twist in the race for Russell’s commitment, with Russell wanting to play both football and basketball in college. 

Russell recently visited Eugene on June 6, before his trips to Miami and Florida State, with his last trip coming to Ann Arbor to visit Michigan. A wrinkle in the race for Russell could very well be his agent. Russell’s agent, Justin Giangrande, who also represents Michigan’s five-star 2026 quarterback commit Brady Smigiel, was on campus for Russell’s final official visit to Ann Arbor in June.

Michigan has been selected by multiple pundits to land the five-star wide receiver, with Oregon, Florida State, and Syracuse all trailing behind. The Ducks are No. 7 in On3’s 2026 recruiting rankings, with four-star wide receiver Messiah Hampton being the only wideout in the 2026 Ducks recruiting class. 

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Feb 28, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Oregon wideout Tez Johnson (WO24) speaks during a press conference during the 2025 NFL Combine at Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephanie Amador Blondet-Imagn Images | Stephanie Amador Blondet-Imagn Images

The Ducks' lack of success with sending wide receivers on to have productive NFL careers may play a role in this recruitment. The Ducks have just had two wideouts selected in the NFL Draft in the last six years, with Troy Franklin and Tez Johnson representing the only two wide receivers selected in recent years. 

The Ducks, as they've battled in recent years when it comes to recruiting, are once again battling geography in this battle for Russell. Russell’s high school is a vast 3,273 miles away from Eugene. Another wrinkle in this recruiting cycle is that Russell just recently signed a deal with Adidas that would be incompatible with Oregon’s branding, including cleats and uniforms. 

In a recent conversation with On3, Russell mentioned Syracuse, but said that the Orange had “fallen off” in his rankings of schools to attend. This leaves a three-horse race for his commitment. It is yet to be seen if Oregon coach Dan Lanning and his staff attempt a last-second boost to his NIL deal, or if they try to visit his campus in Miami, like they did in the race for five-star quarterback Jared Curtis, who eventually chose Georgia.