Jackson Cantwell, No. 3 football recruit for ’26, picks Miami

Miami secured a seismic commitment when five-star offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell, the No. 3 overall prospect in the 2026 ESPN 300, picked the Hurricanes over Georgia, Oregon and Ohio State on Tuesday afternoon.

A 6-foot-8, 315-pound lineman from Nixa, Missouri, Cantwell is the No. 1 offensive tackle prospect in the 2026 recruiting cycle. He commits to the Hurricanes as the highest-ranked member of coach Mario Cristobal’s latest recruiting class, landing with Miami days after an unofficial visit to the Bulldogs on May 10.

Despite the late trip to Georgia, Cantwell’s finalists battled to the very end. Sources told ESPN that Oregon sent assistants A’lique Terry and Drew Mehringer to Missouri on Monday to make the Ducks’ final pitch to Cantwell and his family. Miami tabled the most lucrative NIL package in Cantwell’s recruitment, with sources telling ESPN that the Hurricanes offered a multiyear deal worth more than $2 million annually.

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The Hurricanes ultimately outmuscled Georgia and Oregon at the negotiating table, but Cristobal and Miami had held a consistently rising presence in Cantwell’s recruitment in the months leading up to his decision.

Cantwell told ESPN earlier this spring that his confidence in the Hurricanes was bolstered significantly by his March visit to Miami — a trip that crystallized the program’s vision for Cantwell, his trust in Cristobal and offensive Alex Mirabal’s track record of developing elite offensive linemen.

“I got to learn more about the program on that trip,” Cantwell said. “I think Cristobal and Mirabal do a fantastic job coaching up the offensive line, and the guys like playing for them. They’re good teachers. I believe Miami is a good place to live and study. There’s a lot of good things going for them.”

If he signs later this year, Cantwell will mark Miami’s highest-ranked addition since Cristobal took over the program following the 2021 season. He also would be the Hurricanes’ fourth five-star offensive line addition across the five recruiting cycles under Cristobal.

Miami, which secured the nation’s 13th-ranked signing class in 2025, now holds five ESPN 300 commits in the 2026 class, with Cantwell joining linebacker Jordan Campbell (No. 142 overall), cornerbacks Jontavius Wyman (No. 218) and Jaelen Waters (No. 257) and running back Javian Mallory (No. 257).

Defensive tackle Lamar Brown (No. 1 overall) and running back Derrek Cooper (No. 7) are among the top recruits set for official visits with Miami later this spring.

Cantwell emerged as a top offensive line prospect at Missouri’s Nixa High School, flashing power and sharp technique with impressive footwork for his size as a multiyear starter. The son of former Olympic shot-putters Christian Cantwell — a silver medalist at the 2008 Beijing Games — and Teri Steer, Cantwell holds multiple national high school throwing records and is expected to continue his track and field career in college.

Six of the nation’s top-10 offensive tackle prospects are still uncommitted for the 2026 cycle. Oregon is now expected to turn its attention to Immanuel Iheanacho (No. 12 overall), the cycle’s second-ranked offensive lineman. Five-star prospect Felix Ojo (No. 20) and four-star blockers John Turntine III (No. 44), Micah Smith (No. 47), Ekene Ogboko (No. 51) and Darius Gray (No. 73) will take their recruitments into the summer months.