Why Jackson Cantwell Will Be The Most Impactful Recruit Of The Entire 2026 Class
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Jackson Cantwell is a 6-foot-7 offensive tackle out of Nixa, Missouri and he's expected to protect the wave of stars in the Hurricanes backfield for the next three to four seasons.
Cantwell is a five-star player and the No. 1 overall player in his entire recruiting class. Receiving a commitment from the Missouri native was a huge win for Cristobal's program. This comes after the Miami Hurricanes secured their first playoff bid in the College Football Playoff era. Postseason success is a huge factor for the highest-ranked stars out of high school. Miami's inclusion in this year's tournament paired with Cantwell's signing has made Miami an attractive location, beyond geography, for recruits to sign.
The flashiest name in the 2026 class has certainly been Ohio State commit Chris Henry Jr. He's a 6-foot-5 five-star wide receiver who withheld signing with the Buckeyes after news broke of offensive coordinator Brian Hartline becoming the head coach at the University of South Florida. Cantwell has the opportunity to have a bigger impact on his team quicker into his college football career than Henry Jr. does.
Jackson Cantwell should play right away
Cantwell is following in the steps of three-year starting offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa. The Hurricanes offensive tackle was a major reason why quarterbacks Tyler Van Dyke, Cam Ward, and Carson Beck have been able to enjoy the big passing seasons they've had. Cantwell is expected to take over the spot as soon as he steps into Coral Gables.
"Tackles Francis Mauigoa, expected to enter the draft, and Markel Bell, a senior, will be gone. The Canes will also lose starters at center and guard. Cantwell has a chance to not only crack the lineup, but also fit in at multiple spots."ESPN Analysts
There's expected to be some growing pains at first and he'll need to physically mature a bit in the weight room this offseason, but expect Cantwell to be ready to contribute next September.
Offensive line is most important
The situation is lining up perfectly for Cantwell to succeed. Vanderbilt quarterback Jared Curtis walks into a situation that needs some patching up and rebuilding. Chris Henry Jr. services won't be as valuable as they can be until Jeremiah Smith and Brandon Inniss declare for the NFL Draft. Cantwell has the opportunity to not only play the most amount of time, but to also affect winning the most.
Former Hurricanes offensive lineman Mario Cristobal and offensive line coach Alex Mirabal have done a great job developing offensive linemen in recent years. This is only going to further Cantwell's value to the team in nine months when the regular season begins again. After the playoff campaign has ended, Miami will have a hole at quarterback to patch up. However, receiver Malachi Toney and running back CharMar Brown are expected to return if they don't enter the transfer portal since they're both underclassmen.
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