Jackson Cantwell, No. 1 player in class of 2026, names finalists
Jackson Cantwell, a 5-star offensive tackle out of Missouri, has named 6 finalists in his recruitment.
Cantwell is down to Georgia, Michigan, Miami, Mizzou, Ohio State and Oregon, he announced on Sunday afternoon. That news was shared via On3’s Hayes Fawcett with a Waffle House-themed graphic:
BREAKING: Five-Star Plus+ OT Jackson Cantwell is down to 6 Schools, he tells me for @on3recruits
The 6’8 315 OT from Nixa, MO is ranked as the No. 1 Recruit in the ‘26 Class (per On3 Industry)
Where Should He Go?👇🏽https://t.co/jqOcsEYc5A pic.twitter.com/AcQV81jvLW
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) February 2, 2025
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Cantwell is an elite prospect regardless of position. He’s the No. 1 overall player in the class of 2026, according to 247Sports Composite rankings. But despite growing up in an SEC state, it appears Cantwell is only still considering 2 SEC schools in Georgia and Missouri.
Cantwell attends Nixa High School in Nixa, Missouri, which is located in the Springfield area. He’s listed at 6-foot-7, 300 pounds. Mizzou was one of the first programs to extend Cantwell a scholarship offer — way back in October of 2022.
Cantwell has offers from virtually every top program in the country, including Alabama, LSU, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Texas A&M and plenty more. Most recently, Cantwell made an unofficial visit to Missouri where his father, Christian Cantwell, developed into an Olympic shot-putter. His Olympic achievements include a Silver medal at the 2008 Olympic Games.
There is no timetable for Cantwell to make a final decision on his recruitment.