Still fired up over Miami football landing the pledge of 5-star offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell? While it seemed like a lock that he was going to commit to Georgia, Cantwell surprised a lot of people by announcing for the Canes on Tuesday.
In the end, it was a tough call for the elite prospect, but he said that as soon as he was on his way home from his last visit to Athens, he knew in his mind and heart that playing for the Canes at the next level was the best choice to get him ready for the NFL. So, what was it about Miami's recruiting efforts that sent things over the top against the other finalists? Mario Cristobal and Alex Mirabal were huge factors in his decision.
Miami is riding high after landing 5-star offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell
“They’ve got it all,” Cantwell said right after he announced for Miami. “Whenever you’ve got a guy like Mario Cristobal and Coach Mirabal, you know you’re in a good spot. You’re going to be developed by some of the best out there. They’re producing guys really well. Whenever they get their guys, they’re usually very successful. If you look at the track record there, and even with some of the guys they currently have, they’ve done really well in the past. Coach Cristobal has turned every program into a winner that he’s been at so far. I’m just excited to be a part of it.”
There you have it. Cantwell also knows there's a bright future ahead of him playing for Cristobal in the ACC. Carson Beck is going to be one and done with the Canes so they won't be able to play together, but Cantwell will be following the program closely moving forward.
Not only that, Cantwell revealed on Tuesday too that he's planning to graduate high school early and move to Miami next December. This will allow him to get a jumpstart on his college career and participate in spring camp next year too. All in all, the Cantwell pledge is massive for the program and things are made better knowing he can't wait to start making plays for Cristobal and Mirabal.