5-star Miami commit lands in Top 100 high athletes of the 21st Century

Miami Hurricanes five-star offensive tackle commit, Jackson Cantwell, has earned national acclaim yet again. As the No. 1 recruit in the 2026 class, Cantwell was recently named one of MaxPreps top 100 high school athletes of the 21st century coming in at No. 80.

Measuring an imposing 6-foot-8 and 325 pounds, Cantwell boasts 33.5-inch arms and explosive strength off the snap. He stormed through his junior season with 158 pancake blocks across 14 games (averages nearly 11 per game) helping his Nixa High offensive line pave the way for 3,710 total rushing yards.

Cantwell’s dominance extends into track and field as he claimed back-to-back Missouri Shot Put state titles, led the nation in distance among high school throwers as a junior, and was honored as Gatorade Missouri Boys Track & Field Player of the Year. His pedigree is unmistakable as his father, Christian Cantwell, is a five-time world champion and Olympic shot-put silver medalist, while his mother, Teri Steer Cantwell, competed in the Sydney Olympics.

MaxPreps also gave Cantwell its top national male-athlete award for 2024–25. Here's what Kevin Askeland said about Cantwell:

"Although he still has a year left in high school, Cantwell has already snagged MaxPreps Male Athlete of the Year honors. During the 2024-25 year, he earned state MVP honors in football as an offensive and defensive lineman and had the nation's best mark in the shot put."

Kevin Askeland

Recruiting services back the hype with Rivals, 247Sports, and On3 all putting Cantwell as the nation’s number‑one prospect for 2026. The list includes legends at the high school level and beyond. LeBron James of St. Vincent St. Mary in Akron, Ohio checked in a No. 1 on the list. The rest of the top 10 goes as follows:

2. Patrick Mahomes
3. Kyler Murray
4. Derrick Henry
5. Joe Mauer
6. Terrelle Pryor
7. Greg Oden
8. Elena Delle Donne
9. Missy Franklin
10. Candace Parker