What Fran Brown said about 2026 Syracuse football recruiting on national signing day

As our own Charles Kang has done a tremendous job chronicling, on practically a daily basis since many of these recruits were sophomores or juniors in high school, Brown and his Orange coaching staff have likely delivered the highest-ranked (Top 30 range) class of recruits in the "modern" (post-1990) recruiting era.

Sure, there are annually going to be wins and losses (QB Tyrell Grant flipped to Va. Tech) on the signing days themselves (the legacy signing period commences February 4, 2026), and on Wednesday Syracuse found out it will have to wait until Friday to find out the decision of its most prized recruit.

Miami scholastic star WR Calvin Russell, who's still reportedly being courted by Florida schools in the home stretch, has delayed his final collegiate choice by a couple of days.

Brown's "R" word staying positive on Russell's commitment is - 'Relationship'

On the phone with several players until 1:30 a.m. (ET) Wednesday, just some five and a half hours before the 7:00 a.m. launch of commitments starting to pour into football offices around the country, Brown has been through the final hours with verbally committed players sitting on the fence many times before.

In the case of Russell, Brown remains steadfastly positive that one of the most highly recruited players in SU history, will honor his Orange verbal pledge.

"I have complete confidence, I am really good at recruiting, but I am also great at building relationships," Brown said when asked about Russell, without alluding to the player specifically as per NCAA rules.

"I'm confident," he added. "We've got to sprint to the finish line (Friday), we'll be fine. You get the 3rd, 4th, 5th to be able to sign (players), correct? So, I'll be good to go."

The intriguing, and talented quarterback in this class is Zaid Lott of Charlotte's Providence Day School

Brown gushed about the 6'4" pocket passer who has a cannon of an arm, and who originally committed to home state North Carolina until Mack Brown was dismissed as head coach. Lott announced his intentions to join the Orange program last March.

"A big athlete, that can throw the football," Brown said about Lott with a smile on his face. "Of course, we had some quarterback issues this year, so for me that was important that I went to one of his games so I could see him read defenses, throw the ball, lead a team. I (saw) how much his teammates followed him."

"The moment he steps on campus (which will be in January as an early enrollee), he's naturally going to step into a leadership role," Brown proclaimed.

Lott was coached at Providence Day by a quarterback guru, longtime Carolinas region scholastic coach Chad Grier, who coached his son Will, a seven-year NFL QB currently on his second stint with the Dallas Cowboys.

With the transfer portal shrinking to one period in January, Brown remains committed to recruiting scholastic blue-chippers

If and when Russell signs, a large class of 25 or 26 will join a Syracuse roster that will no doubt contain some players on their way out when the only available portal is open January 2-16.

Brown already knows eliminating the spring transfer portal window (when SU landed Steve Angeli from Notre Dame last May 2), will even out the sheer number of players that end up leaving their original schools, making his recruiting expertise more important than ever.

"With one portal now, you guys (media) will see this in January, it's going to be scary, people are going to stop running to the portal," Brown said in anticipating the change he predicts.

"I am going to stick with my guys (not players that look to leave after two years) and develop our guys, stick with this (heavy scholastic recruiting) model. Transfers will slow down, you'll see it. We'll still hit the portal to get some key pieces that we need, but not rely on it."

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