Buckeyes Now

Ohio State Buckeyes Set to Get Visit with Top National Recruit

Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes are going to get a visit with the top recruit in the nation.

Evan Massey

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.
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. / Nathan Papes/Springfield News-Leader / USA TODAY NETWORK
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The Ohio State Buckeyes are involved in quite a few high-profile recruiting battles in the 2026 class. Now, they're about to get in on another one much deeper.

Jackson Cantwell, who is widely viewed as the top overall recruit in the 2026 class, is set to have a visit with Ohio State.

According to a report from On3 Sports insider Steve Wiltfong, Cantwell is expected to make a stop with the Buckeyes during the third week of March. He is also planning to visit with the Michigan Wolverines and the Miami Hurricanes in that time period.

Obviously, this is massive news for Ohio State. Adding a talent like Cantwell to their offensive line would be about as big of a pickup as they've made in recent years.

Right now, On3 Sports has Cantwell ranked as their top player in the 2026 class. He is expected to be a dominant force on the offensive line and the NFL seems likely to be in his future if he lives up to his full potential.

Hailing from Nixa High School in Nixa, Missouri, Cantwell is being very heavily recruited. His hometown Missouri Tigers are still viewed to have a shot at landing his commitment as well, which would be a major surprise.

Standing in at 6-foot-7 and 300 pounds, Cantwell already has the size to play the college game. He also comes from a background of athletes. His dad, Christian Cantwell, starred in track and field during his college career at Missouri and was also a silver medalist during the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Obviously, this will be a major fight to earn Cantwell's commitment. However, simply being involved at this level is a reason for the Buckeyes to be excited.

Hopefully, they will be able to make a strong pitch to him and sell him on the idea of playing at Ohio State.

Only time will tell, but this is a big step in the right direction.

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Evan Massey
EVAN MASSEY

Evan Massey is a sports reporter and analyst who covers college football, the NFL and NBA. He has contributed to the On SI network since July 2021. He has also written for ESPN, Yahoo! Sports, Forbes, Bleacher Report, NFLAnalysis.net, NBAAnalysis.net and many other publications. In his free time, Evan enjoys spending time with his wife and son.

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