Syracuse, N.Y. — When Calvin Russell signed to play with Syracuse football next season he became the program’s highest-ranked recruit in the past 20 years and the highest since the Orange signed quarterback Cecil Howard in 2001.

Russell, who signed with the Orange on Thursday night, is a four-star recruit, according to the 247Sports composite rankings, but is ranked as high as a five-star and the No. 23 recruit nationally by the website’s individual ranking.

Howard was ranked the No. 13 prospect in the country by Tom Lemming and the No. 21 freshman by Athlon in 2001. He never played in a game for the Orange, transferring to Northeastern after his freshman season.

Russell’s signing gave coach Fran Brown the Orange’s highest-ranked high school recruiting class in the past two decades an

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