Projected $1.5 Million Star Reveals College Football Program Recruiting Him 'Hardest'
Decision time is near for five-star offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell, and one college football program is going all-out to land his services.
Cantwell plays for for Nixa High School in Missouri. The 6-foot-7.5, 305-pound tackle is rated as the No. 1 overall player in the class of 2026 by both On3 and Rivals.
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Cantwell is credited with 286 pancake blocks over his three high school seasons, per MaxPreps.
He was named as the 2024-25 Gatorade Player of the Year in December and is also a national track and field record holder in shot put, an athletic family legacy.
Cantwell's father, Christian Cantwell, won a silver medal in shot put at the Beijing 2008 Games. His mother, Teri Steer, competed in shot put at the 2000 Sydney Games.
On the gridiron, Cantwell holds an NIL valuation of $1.5 million entering his senior high school season. And his high-profile recruitment has come down to Georgia, Oregon, Ohio State and Miami.
Nixa's Jackson Cantwell as the Eagles take on the Republic TigersNathan Papes/Springfield News-Leader / USA TODAY NETWORK
Cantwell previously delayed his commitment date from April 30 to May 13, adding another unofficial visit to the Bulldogs on May 10. He previously took unofficial visits to Miami (March 18), Ohio State (March 22) and Oregon (April 26).
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There's no shortage of recruiting expertise among Cantwell's top contenders, as Georgia, Ohio State and Oregon are coming off top-five classes with the Hurricanes landing at No. 13 (247Sports).
According to Cantwell, though, it's Miami and head coach Mario Cristobal that have been putting in more effort as his commitment date approaches.
Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal takes the field.Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
'I'll be honest, Miami is recruiting me the hardest right now,' Cantwell said via On3's Stephen Wagner.
Cantwell received an in-home visit from Miami offensive line coach Alex Mirabal on Sunday. Mirabal and Cristobal appear to be in contact with Cantwell every day, and he spoke highly of Cristobal's history as a position coach.
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'Obviously that's not the end-all be-all, but there's something to be said for that," Cantwell continued. "I hear from coach Cristobal every day. I hear from coach Mirabal every day. Mario Cristobal has coached a lot of guys that play early. He's very open to it. They prioritize O-line development. They're the only program left in it for me that has an O-line guy as their head coach, so I know they'll prioritize that.'
It doesn't appear that Cantwell has made up his mind just yet with the May 13 announcement around the corner. While he seemingly learned enough about Miami and Oregon this spring, the Bulldogs will get the final crack at the elite tackle.
"That's something I feel good about with Miami and Oregon and we're going to see Georgia one more time, and then I'm going to make my decision on the 13th and I'm not going to look back," he said.
Related: Nation's No. 2 QB Drops Intriguing Recruiting Hint After Four Major Offers
Related: ESPN Names Last Season's Luckiest College Football Team
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