Wolverine Digest

Michigan rising to make massive splash on recruiting trail with No. 1 prospect

The Michigan Wolverines are a rising favorite to land the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2026 class.
Chris Breiler|
Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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The battle is far from over, but the Michigan Wolverines are quickly rising as a favorite to land the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2026 recruiting class, Jackson Cantwell.

At nearly 6-8 and over 300 pounds, Cantwell is already built for football at the next level. As of now, the Missouri native is current favored to remain in his home state and sign with the Tigers. But Michigan has made a strong impression on the elite offensive tackle, and there's a growing belief that the Wolverines could land the No. 1 overall prospect before it's all said and done.

As of this writing, On3's prediction machine currently has Missouri as a slight lead in this battle at 17 percent, while Michigan is close behind at 15 percent.

There's no question that the appeal of playing close to home is something that gives Missouri an advantage with Cantwell. But we all know that few can compete Michigan on the recruiting trail these days, particularly when the Wolverines view someone as a top priority. From NIL to a world-class education, Michigan offers the type of resources that only a handful of other programs around the country can compete with - just ask Bryce Underwood.

If the Wolverines are all-in on Cantwell (and they are), expect Michigan to make some big moves to close the deal and sign the No. 1 overall recruit.

- Enjoy more Michigan Wolverines coverage on Michigan Wolverines On SI -

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Chris Breiler
CHRIS BREILER

Christopher Breiler launched Winged Helmet Media and began covering the Michigan Football program in an unofficial capacity in 2017. He then joined Wolverine Digest as part of the FanNation network in 2021 as a contributing writer, where he served as both a writer and a photographer on game days. In 2024, he took over as the Managing Editor for Michigan Wolverines On SI. His love for Michigan Football brought him into the industry, and his passion for being a content creator has led to some amazing experiences along the way.

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