Do you know Jackson Cantwell? Maybe a few of you, but wait for a year to pass. This 16-year-old kid is going to be a household name in the football world. The high school five-star prospect keeps on growing in popularity as the most sought-after recruit, being the No. 1 offensive tackle in the 2026 class. No wonder he got mail piled up on his phone from the country’s biggest programs. Now Georgia head coach Kirby Smart is also trying to lure commitment from the young guy!

#1 player in the nation, Jackson Cantwell, shared an ‘X’ post clip of him playing on the field. “Week 9 was another great opportunity to keep getting better! Double-digit pancakes again—knocking on the door of 100 in the season and already past my total last year!” He wrote as a caption for the post. Looking at the way he’s playing, if he lands at the Bulldogs, Kirby Smart should be prepared for a top-notch class in their upcoming cycle. But wait, there’s another candidate on the list who’s keeping an eye on Cantwell. Nebraska Cornhuskers are equally making efforts to land his commitment.

Recently, he visited the Huskers and often goes there, given his strong ties to the program. He even shares a strong bond with the Huskers’ offensive line coach, Donovan Raiola. Cantwell, being the son of an Olympian father, had his criteria fixed for the school he wanted to go to. He caters to the importance of education and sports. Recently, he sent a message that created a buzz in college football.

‘If there’s one school kind of setting the pace, you know I would say Georgia, he keeps going back to Georgia.” The reason why he feels so is that Georgia pays attention to player development, and they are consistently a national championship-battling program. These are the things that set it apart from other programs, as Cantwell said. Meanwhile, do you have any idea about Jackson Cantwell’s other hobbies besides playing football?

Jackson Cantwell’s sports story beyond playing football

The standout high school junior excels in every other sport, but what he likes the most after football is Shot Put! Yeah, the young guys hold a passion for athletics as well. Earlier this year, he even won a Nike Outdoor Nationals, which is a big thing! To watch Jackson lurking at a fast pace with intensity will blow your mind!

But in reality, Jackson practices Shot Put to clarify his vision of playing football. And perform with great mobility on the football field. The emerging star believes that the kind of speed his feet feel will be a roadmap to sharpen his defensive skills. “That translates to football well because you’re moving a heavy person on the offensive line,” Jackson said.

Being the son of the 2008 Olympic silver medalist, sports runs are in his blood. He owns a personal 74-9.75 record in shot put, which is quite great in itself and also the national high school record for a sophomore. Besides that, while playing left tackle for Nixa, he contributed with 91 pancake blocks and 0 sacks, leading his team to an undefeated Central Ohio conference. With all that, Kirby Smart will win a jackpot and Matt Rhule possibly loses a diamond!