The nation’s top recruit for the 2026 class has narrowed his list down to six schools. Jackson Cantwell, an offensive tackle from Missouri, made the announcement with On3’s Hayes Fawcett early Sunday afternoon.
BREAKING: Five-Star Plus+ OT Jackson Cantwell is down to 6 Schools, he tells me for @on3recruits
The 6’8 315 OT from Nixa, MO is ranked as the No. 1 Recruit in the ‘26 Class (per On3 Industry)
Where Should He Go?👇🏽https://t.co/jqOcsEYc5A pic.twitter.com/AcQV81jvLW
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) February 2, 2025
In addition to having the best recruiting announcement graphic ever, Cantwell is also one of the most highly sought after players in the country. The final six schools who made the cut for his services were Georgia, Michigan, Miami, Missouri, Ohio State, and Oregon.
Cantwell’s size, genetics, and potential ceiling are the stuff of legend from a recruiting standpoint. At 6-foot-7, 305 pounds, and an arm length of 33.5 inches, he has the ideal size for an NFL tackle. He also has some incredible genes as both of his parents were former Olympians.
Christian Cantwell won the silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics in the shot put. He was also a five-time world champion in the event. Teri Steer Cantwell won two NCAA titles in the shot put at SMU and qualified for the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. If none of that was impressive enough, he also took the ACT during his freshman year and scored a 33.
