Look, Jackson Cantwell isn’t your average five-star recruit. He is the top-ranked offensive tackle in the class of 2026. But that’s all in his genes. As his father, Christian Cantwell, an Olympic shotput player, is what makes him a more desirable option for the teams. Now, following Bryce Underwood’s whirlwind recruitment last year, Cantwell’s now the center of attention, attracting numerous suitors. But he’s highly selective and has closed doors on many schools. Rumors suggest Georgia could be next. Coach Kirby Smart needs to act quickly; this recruitment is moving fast.

Well, Kirby Smart’s Georgia has been trying hard to recruit Nixa’s 6’7.5, 300 lb freak. And let’s be real, Dawgs are typically one of the sports’ biggest closers on the recruiting front with an average ranking in the top 3 recruiting classes since Smart took over in 2015. So, there’s no way a young player can miss out on his team, right? …Wrong! As On3 Recruits, Steve Wiltfong makes a shocking revelation saying, “If you would have asked me a couple of weeks ago where do you think Jackson Cantwell is going to go, I would have said I think it’s going to be Georgia, but right now I think that this one could be going towards someone else, and we will see where the chips fall here. I think he does decide before he takes his official visits as he tries to lock in on his college decision while finishing his junior track season very strong.”

Now, here’s the kicker: after making tons of visits Jackson Cantwell has his list of the final 6 programs that make it to the end. Georgia, Michigan, Miami, Missouri, Ohio State, and Oregon. With all these programs in the mix, the race to land Cantwell is getting tougher for Kirby Smart’s team. Worst part? They are already cut from the final list of 5-star OT Immanuel Iheanacho, and now it looks like they might lose Jackson too.

There are high possibilities that Jackson Cantwell might give out his final verdict soon and talk about his future plans. Wiltfong says, “Jackson Cantwell is ready to make his college decision. He’s been able to visit his top schools numerous times; he’s had a lot of dialogue with each of these coaching staffs, and he’s in the midst of trying to finish his junior track season strong as he goes after national records and tries to perform at a high level.” If we go by Steve’s intel, there’s nothing left for Jackson and his family to learn more about the programs, and there are possibilities that his decision might come by June.

But let’s not forget that even NIL will play a massive role in Cantwell’s recruitment. Yes, you read that right. As Steve Wiltfong states, “I do indeed think that is the plan now, and I think his representation over there at Rosen House is having their final conversations with these coaching staffs to figure out what this looks like from an NIL standpoint, and with Jackson Cantwell, you may be offering a lot, but another program might be offering more.” Look, there’s no way Cantwell’s recruitment is going to be cheap. Even ON3’s Pete Nakos predicts that he might land a big bag.

The interesting part is projections say that Jackson Cantwell might get up to a $1.5 million deal. Now, among his top 6 list, there are a few teams that might really have a strong chance to land him.

More pressure on Kirby Smart for Jackson Cantwell’s recruitment

Landing Cantwell would be a huge coup—a whale of a catch. If Georgia misses out, it’ll be a significant blow. He’s exceptionally talented, excelling not just in football but in multiple sports. His athleticism is off the charts; he’s not just big, he’s explosive. Winning the 2023-24 Gatorade Missouri Boys Track & Field Player of the Year wasn’t just an achievement—it was a declaration. A two-time Missouri Class 5A state champion in shotput, he also won gold at the 2024 Nike Outdoor Nationals, boasting incredible throws: a national high school record 74-9.75 in the shotput (as a sophomore) and 205’4 in the discus.

Forget the track star image; Cantwell’s a serious football player. In 2023, he solidified Nixa High’s left side, leading them to a perfect Central Ozark Conference season. He delivered an astounding 91 pancake blocks – yes, ninety-one – and didn’t surrender a single sack. That’s elite performance.

Add his refined basketball footwork, and you see why he’s a foundational offensive tackle, not just a fill-in. Georgia missing out on Cantwell isn’t just losing a top prospect; it’s losing a potential game-changer. This caliber of athlete is rare. Michigan and Ohio State are out of the running, simplifying things, but Georgia can’t get complacent. In recruiting, it’s not comfort, but strong relationships and perfect timing that win championships.

“A lot of the reasons I like Ann Arbor is they are producing O-linemen year and year now. If you look at the draft portal from last year, there were six O-linemen.” That’s what Cantwell once said about Michigan. And then talking about Ohio State, he said, “This is probably a big visit for me because I’ll get to meet coach [Tyler] Bowen and the other assistants in person for the first time,” and now you can understand how seriously he is taking both the programs.

Now, it will be interesting to see which team finally lands this offensive weapon into their team!