Nixa football star Jackson Cantwell, the No. 1 offensive line prospect in the 2026 class, said it felt like the right time to focus on the schools he could see himself attending.
With over two dozen offers from the biggest college football programs in the country, Cantwell narrowed his list down to 14 heading into his junior season.
“I wanted to start focusing on 50% of the schools that were reaching out to me,” Cantwell told the News-Leader. “So I found 14 schools I could see myself showing interest in and ran with it.”
All 14 schools the five-star prospect announced on social media on Thursday morning are from power conferences with eight from the SEC, five from the Big Ten and one from the ACC.
A common theme between all of them, in Cantwell’s eyes, is their great offensive line traditions. He also wants to attend a school that’s going to compete for championships.
“I feel like I would be able to have success if I went to any of these,” Cantwell said.
More: Five-star Jackson Cantwell, now a shot put national champion, talks Oregon, USC visits
Jackson Cantwell’s trimmed list of 14 schools
-
LSU
-
Michigan
-
Ohio State
-
Florida
-
Nebraska
-
Mizzou
-
Miami (Florida)
-
Alabama
-
Texas A&M
-
USC
-
Georgia
-
Oregon
-
Arkansas
-
Ole Miss
What is becoming more important to Jackson Cantwell throughout his recruiting process?
The first thing Cantwell said is becoming more important to him as he seeks his college destination is what school will help him maximize his NFL potential.
The last two top-rated offensive linemen to be eligible for the NFL Draft, according to 247Sports’ rankings, have been top 10 picks (Paris Johnson Jr., Ohio State; JC Latham, Alabama).
More: How five-star prospect Jackson Cantwell thinks throwing helps him on the football field
Cantwell said proximity to home could play a factor along with having a good relationship with the position coach and offensive line personnel. Quality of life in the area of the school is another.
The 6-foot-8, 300-pound offensive tackle who earned a 33 on his ACT before his freshman year also acknowledges that “the academic side is very important.”
Where has Jackson Cantwell visited?
Cantwell visited Oregon and USC during his recent west-coast trip where he won the shot put national championship on Oregon’s campus in mid-June. Other visits over the last two years include Mizzou, Georgia, Texas A&M, Nebraska, Alabama and Arkansas.
Schools he’s visited, including Tennessee, TCU and Oklahoma, did not make his cut.
More: Nixa’s 6-foot-8 freshman Jackson Cantwell has Olympian parents, world records and a 33 ACT score
Does Jackson Cantwell have any future visits?
Cantwell said he plans to visit multiple schools in July with details still pending. He also plans to make multiple gameday visits during the fall.
What is Jackson Cantwell’s timeline to make a decision?
Cantwell said the list of 14 will likely be cut to around 5-7 schools at some point in March and then he’ll “probably end up deciding between 3-4” whenever he decides to commit to a school at some point in the late summer or early fall of 2025.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Jackson Cantwell: Football recruit on timeline, what he’s looking for
Springfield News-Leader
