He's the No. 1 recruit in the country for good reason. Out of Missouri, 5-star offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell has every program out there wanting him, but he's down to six schools. The good news for the Miami Hurricanes is they're a finalist and Cantwell will take his official visit to campus on May 9.
On top of that, Cantwell will also be taking a March unofficial visit to catch some spring ball action. However, it's not all positive for head man Mario Cristobal and his staff, as it looks like Miami has a little catching up to do. In a recent interview with Steve Wiltfong, Cantwell said Oregon's Dan Lanning is his favorite head coach. With Oregon also being a finalist, this could spell trouble for the Canes:
Five-Star Plus+ OT Jackson Cantwell talks with @SWiltfong_ about his favorite head coach among his top schools.
— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) February 24, 2025
“I think my favorite head coach still to this day has been Dan Lanning. I think everyone can understand. Great guy. Missouri guy."🦆
Read: https://t.co/oIuNWUGENf pic.twitter.com/UKwdjkIAJB
5-star OT Jackson Cantwell told On3 Dan Lanning is his favorite HC
As you can see, Lanning has made a monster impact on the 2026 recruit and the connection the two have to his home state is making a difference as well. This doesn't mean that Oregon is the leader, however. Nope, not at all.
Several times, Cantwell has said that he's wide open with his finalists, as they all bring something different to the table. Recently, Wiltfong said Miami is 'making a move' on Cantwell. He was in Coral Gables for a game in the fall.
On top of that, the two spring visits on the way will give Cristobal an enormous opportunity to turn Cantwell's head. The fact that Carson Beck is taking over the offense and Cam Ward is projected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft is something Cristobal can sell the youngster on.
The Miami brand has unreal pull and Cantwell could become the next superb offensive lineman to be developed by the program. Sure, Oregon and Lanning offer a lot, but Miami is second to none across the board. Cristobal may have some chasing to do, but the Canes are ready to go all-in to land Cantwell.