Wolverine Digest

REPORT: The No. 1 recruit in 2026 is trending away from Michigan

Despite hosting the five-star prospect in recent days, Michigan appears to be falling behind in the recruitment of the No. 1 player in 2026.
Chris Breiler|
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Despite having No. 1 overall 2026 recruit Jackson Cantwell on campus recently, it appears that he's trending away from the Michigan Wolverines. On Tuesday, On3 reported that there are three programs emerging as the frontrunners for Cantwell, and Michigan isn't among that group.

On3's report goes on to say that NIL is expected to play a major factor in Cantwell's recruitment, as he's likely to land one of the biggest NIL deals in the 2026 class. And while we know that NIL isn't really an issue when it comes to Michigan, there are other programs that are apparently making a better pitch for the five-star OL at this point.

Along with elite programs like Georgia and Oregon, Cantwell is also taking a strong look at Missouri. It may seem strange to see the Tigers among such a loaded group, but Cantwell is a Missouri native and the appeal of playing in his home state is obviously a factor.

Michigan may be currently on the outside looking in, but Cantwell is expected to take an official visit to Ann Arbor before making a final decision. Given Michigan's long history of producing NFL linemen, along with all of the other perks that come along with playing football in Ann Arbor, it certainly seems premature to count the Wolverines out in this one.

- 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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