Jackson Cantwell, the No. 1 overall player in the 2026 recruiting class, will make his commitment announcement on April 30. Cantwell is down to his final four schools with Miami, Ohio State, Oregon and Georgia being the remaining programs in contention.
Cantwell is an offensive tackle out of Missouri who stands at 6 feet 7 inches and weighs 305 pounds. He is represented by Rosenhaus Sports which is led by agent Drew Rosenhaus. Cantwell initially wanted the recruiting process to be over by the end of summer but changed that to the end of his junior year. He has also mentioned that money will not be a factor when choosing a school.
With four schools remaining it will be interesting to see what goes into the final decision. Things have gone faster than expected for the top recruit in the nation so let's take a look at his comments on the four schools still in contention for his services.
Miami
""They have the best offensive line coaching duo in the country in (offensive line coach) Alex Murabal and (head coach) Mario Cristobal. Then you add in the student life there, and it's not going to get a lot better than Miami, Florida. They have a great situation.""Jackson Cantwell
Cantwell is obviously taking into account the coaching staff and offensive line play in his decision. It is a major plus for Miami that they just so happen to have a stellar reputation in both departments. If Cantwell chooses the Hurricanes, Mario Cristobal and Alex Murabel will most likely be the main reasons why.
The weather in Coral Gables, as well as student life and culture, was also mentioned by Cantwell as positives. When comparing Miami to other schools in those areas, the Hurricanes come out on top in most cases. Football will be the main factor in his decision but it is nice for Miami to check both boxes — and it is part of the reason they are in the final four schools.
Ohio State
""Their offensive line did incredible last year, but I think the interesting thing is that they'll have a different offensive line coach because he left to go to the Cardinals, and now they have a guy who hasn't coached O-line since 2016. It'll be interesting to see how that works out.""Jackson Cantwell
The case for Ohio State is that the recent success is undeniable. Transitioning from Urban Meyer to Ryan Day has given the program over a decade of dominant play on the gridiron. They are coming off a national champioship victory, their second in the playoff era, and are the first champions in the 12-team playoff era.
Cantwell started out by mentioning how Day is viewed by the public. Some believe he is overrated but the results the Buckeyes have had is on the level of the top programs in the nation. The offense and pedigree impresses Cantwell but the change in offensive line coaching is a concern. While Miami does not have the level of recent success that Ohio State has had, OL coaching is an area where they gain some ground in the race since Cantwell likes the coaches in place for the Hurricanes.
Georgia
""Georgia develops every position at a high level, and they've had many first-round (NFL Draft) tackles over the last couple of years. They develop guys. You don't want to think going in, 'Oh, I'm going to the NFL,' but like everybody that starts at Georgia ends up in the NFL at some point.""Jackson Cantwell
The end goal for Cantwell is to make it into the NFL and continue playing football for a long time. The Bulldogs produce NFL talent just about as much as anybody in college football currently. While Cantwell recognizes that picking a school just because they pump out NFL players consistently may not be smart, it certainly is a strong positive. Cantwell also mentioned his fondness for the Athens area as his mother lived there for a few years.
Oregon
""There's a good argument that Dan Lanning is my favorite coach I've met so far. He's a fantastic dude and a great ball coach. I like him a lot. I think (offensive line coach) A'lique Terry does a great job relating to the kids and does a great job of teaching.""Jackson Cantwell
Cantwell goes on to mention that Dan Lanning may be his favorite coach that he has met so far. He also gives praise to Oregon's offensive line coach A'lique Terry for his coaching and ability to relate to his players. Cantwell acknowledges the proximity of Oregon is something he has taken into account as well.
Cantwell has a visit set for Oregon on April 26 and 27. It will be his final visit prior to making his decision on April 30. Other visits are scheduled after the commitment date but it remains to be seen if Cantwell still goes on them after choosing a school.