Wolverine Digest

Five-star Michigan target accomplishes incredible bench press feat

The fact that he is a 17-year-old kid doing this just adds to the sheer insanity of it
Jerred Johnson|
Nixa's Jackson Cantwell seen here against Webb City on August 25, 2023.
Nixa's Jackson Cantwell seen here against Webb City on August 25, 2023. | Bruce E Stidham Special to the News-Leader / USA TODAY NETWORK

The top-rated recruit in the 2026 class is offensive lineman Jackson Cantwell, and he towers over his opponents at 6-foot-8 and 300-pounds. His size is already ideal for division one football, and all of the blue blood programs in the nation are pursuing his services.

As of now, his top six include Oregon, Ohio State, Georgia, Missouri, Miami and Michigan. Cantwell has set up three official visits in March, heading to Miami (17-18), Ohio State (20-21) and finally Michigan on the March 22nd. Cantwell clearly has the size needed to excel at the next level, but it is also very apparent that he has the strength as well. The five-star lineman recently posted a video where he's putting in work on the bench press - benching an incredible 505-pounds.

A quick study shows that only approximately 0.01% of people in the world can bench press over 500 pounds, putting the 17-year-old Cantwell in rare territory. The weight is so intense that the bar appears to be bending slightly in the video.

With that level of strength, Cantwell will be a nightmare for defensive lineman who get anywhere near his long reach. The fact that he is able to perform such an incredible weight lifting feat while in high school is astounding as well. Imagine what kind of strength he will develop once he gets tutelage from a division one strength and conditioning coach and program.

Jackson
Nixa High School freshman Jackson Cantwell (right) runs drills during football practice on Tuesday, July 12, 2022. Cantwell is 6-foot-8 and a multi-sport athlete and also scored a 33 on the ACT. Tnixa Football00048 | Nathan Papes/Springfield News-Leader / USA TODAY NETWORK

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Jerred Johnson
JERRED JOHNSON

Jerred Johnson has served in the United States military for over 23 years. He has a Bachelors in Marketing, a Masters in Management and is in the final phases of completing his Doctorate in Business Administration.

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