Picture this: you’re Mike Elko, fresh off a solid 8-5 season in the SEC, the unofficial valley of death of college football. You’ve been grinding, taking 1 step at a time in this diabolical conference and building up Texas A&M’s recruiting momentum, and hosting 5-star talents like Jackson Cantwell. The kid’s a straight beast from bible—No. 1 offensive tackle and No. 3 overall player in the 2026 class. Everything’s clicking. But then, boom!! Cantwell drops an update about B1G that flips your whole vibe and sleeps. Ain’t gonna lie, a curveball that Mike Elko did not see it coming.

Jackson Cantwell, 6.8-ish, weighing around 305 pounds, straight outta Missouri, ‘excited to see how Ohio State does in The Natty.’ Here is the tea: Ohio State’s sitting pretty, about to take on Marcus Freeman’s Notre Dame squad in the National Championship on January 20. A Buckeyes win could straight-up rewrite Cantwell’s recruitment story. And don’t get it twisted—Jackson Cantwell isn’t just any player. The Nixa, Missouri product has offers from every program that matters, from Georgia to Alabama to Oregon. But now, with Ohio State’s Justin Frye working his magic, the Buckeyes are looking like serious contenders for his commitment.

Steve Wiltfong from On3 didn’t hold back, saying, “he’s excited to continue to have build his relationship with offensive line coach Justin Frye.” And that’s not just chatter. Justin Frye doing a good job at Ohio, Ohio State bagged 3 good O-linemen in 2025 recruiting class, Carter Lowe from Tulane, Jake Cook from their backyard, and Javyon McFadden. Adding Jackson Cantwell to Justin Frye’s Oline would be unfair for rest of B1G, SEC and especially Mike Elko. Look, Ohio State’s whole vibe screams NFL factory, and that’s exactly what a kid like Cantwell wants. This kid’s literally built for greatness—his dad, Christian Cantwell, was an Olympic silver medalist, and his mom, Teri, is a two-time NCAA champ in shot put. Can we say athletic royalty?

Meanwhile, Texas A&M is holding its own, stacking up a 2026 class featuring names like Aaron Gregory and Helaman Casuga. Not bad at all. But compared to Ohio State’s glow-up, the Aggies might need more than a strong sales pitch to lock down Cantwell. Let’s be real—when the Buckeyes roll out their ‘Natty champ’ status (if they win), that’s a flex that’s hard to top. And you know the SEC isn’t gonna make it easy for Elko to focus on one recruit. Mike Elko gotta start praying for Ohio State’s downfall on Natty.

Ohio State’s big game could be the game-changer against Mike Elko?

Here’s where it gets wild. If Ohio State secures the title, their momentum in recruiting circles will hit overdrive. Cantwell’s already raving about Frye and how the Buckeyes’ program mirrors the NFL. And let’s not ignore how A&M went 8-5 this season—solid, but not exactly jaw-dropping. Cantwell’s all about progression, and a championship program with NFL-caliber coaching might be too good to resist. Elko’s gotta be sweating a little, right?

Texas A&M isn’t out yet, though. They’ve built a strong relationship with Cantwell, and College Station’s vibe is growing on him. Plus, the Aggies have SEC bragging rights—something Ohio State doesn’t have or does not it even matter now? The SEC schools are low-key getting thrashed by Ohio State and Big 10 schools. Okay, let’s be real now for a second; if the Buckeyes win, Elko might have to get real creative to keep Cantwell on board. Imagine trying to out-recruit a team fresh off a championship. That’s like trying to out-sing Beyoncé at the Grammys. Good luck with that! (Btw we do not stan Beyonce)

In the end, Jackson Cantwell holds the cards, and every big program knows it. Ohio State’s Natty run could shake up the recruiting world, but Texas A&M isn’t backing down without a fight. One thing’s for sure: this isn’t just a recruiting battle—it’s a heavyweight clash with NFL futures on the line. And as for Mike Elko? He better hope the Aggies’ pitch is strong enough to weather the Buckeye storm.