2 days after Calvin Russell's Syracuse commitment, Fran Brown faces huge setback as 4-star DE plans to enter transfer portal

On Saturday, Syracuse secured the pledge of four-star wide receiver Calvin Russell in the class of 2026. This commitment shows that things are going well for coach Fran Brown, who led Syracuse to a 10-win season in his first year.

However, on Monday, Brown faced a setback as redshirt freshman defensive end KingJoseph Edwards, a former four-star recruit, announced plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal, according to insider Hayes Fawcett.

Edwards played five games last season, including the Holiday Bowl, and recorded five tackles and three sacks. Even though he did not play much, he showed a lot of promise.

He is using a new NCAA rule that allows players who are being removed from next season’s roster due to roster limits to transfer during a special window. That portal window opened on Monday and will run until Aug. 5, according to Yahoo Sports reporter Ross Dellenger.

Calvin Russell chose Syracuse over other powerhouse programs

Calvin Russell chose the Orange over programs like Michigan, Oregon and Florida State. The 6-foot-5, 195-pound wide receiver plays for Miami Northwestern High School in Florida. He plays under coach Teddy Bridgewater, a former NFL Pro Bowl quarterback.

Russell is ranked No. 47 in the nation in the 2026 class by 247Sports. He’s also listed as the No. 5-ranked wide receiver in the country.

“Coach Fran, he’s a great leader," Russell said in an interview with On3. "He does everything the right way. He’s changing the culture. He’s changing everyone’s mentality. He does everything he has to do. The conversations I had with Coach Fran, I trust him, I know he’s going to do right by me and my family.”

Last season, as a junior, Russell led Miami Northwestern to a Florida Class 3A state championship. He caught 39 passes for 704 yards and scored 13 touchdowns.

Russell is also a multi-sport athlete. On the basketball court, he averaged 21.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game as a sophomore and is expected to pursue the opportunity to play for Syracuse’s men’s basketball team as well, according to ESPN.

He becomes the 26th member of Syracuse’s 2026 recruiting class, ranked No. 20 in the nation and fifth in the Atlantic Coast Conference by 247Sports.

About the author

Garima's inclination for sports began with Pitthu/Seven Stones, then cricket, when she was named the team captain in high school, and slowly built up to badminton, tennis, swimming, baseball, and, most recently, F1. There is no end to her love for Serena Williams, who she admires for her incredible impact not only on the game but on women around the world.

Apart from sports, she loves good storytelling in any form, be it a good fiction book, film, or even a vlog. Photography, going on drives, eating good food, and exercising are the things that keep her sound.

Currently studying the Japanese language, she aims to become fluent by the end of 2026.

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Edited by Krutik Jain