Miami’s $2 Million Gamble: Which 5-Star Talent Could Change the Game Forever?
When did college football recruiting turn into a billion-dollar game? Miami (FL) football, under the steely gaze of head coach Mario Cristobal, just threw down a staggering $2 million NIL offer to try and snag five-star tackle Jackson Cantwell. Bold move, right? Especially when you consider Cantwell’s still got programs like Georgia—Cristobal’s old stomping grounds—and Oregon breathing down Miami’s neck. It’s like watching a high-stakes poker game where Miami’s no longer bluffing but flashing the cash outright, hoping to tip the scales and turn their 2026 recruiting class from a good haul into a screaming headline. Because let’s be honest—Miami doesn’t have a single five-star commit yet, and this deal might just be the game-changer to vault them up the rankings. As fascinating as it is to see NIL cash rewriting recruiting rules, it also raises the question: how much is too much when chasing pure talent?
Miami (FL) football is flashing the big bucks to win over recruits. It’s a new tactic they’ve employed in this new era of college football recruiting. The Hurricanes have pulled out $2 million in attempting to win over a five-star talent.
Miami and head coach Mario Cristobal are prioritizing landing tackle Jackson Cantwell of Nixa, Missouri. However, the ‘Canes still have to beat out Georgia and Oregon — Cristobal’s former school.
Miami is now opening up its NIL money to lure Cantwell in, Pete Nakos of On3 reported Wednesday. Nakos dove further into how powerful this deal is on the table.
“Sources have said that Miami has the most lucrative first-year deal on the table, sitting around the $2 million mark,” Nakos said, adding other schools will submit its NIL offers. “Represented by Rosenhaus Sports, negotiations are ongoing. It’s not believed that Cantwell has shared his school of choice with his representative as of Wednesday afternoon.”
Nakos added that “Miami is pushing hard” to nab Cantwell from what a source told him.
Miami class ascends if 5-star commits to Hurricanes
The Hurricanes sit at No. 16 in the 2026 national recruiting rankings. But Miami holds zero five-star commits.
Cantwell can emerge as the first — and change Miami’s current ranking. The Hurricanes hold nine verbal commits for ’26. Three, though, hold a four-star ranking including cornerback Camdin Portis, the son of Miami running back legend and former NFL Pro Bowler Clinton Portis.
Miami has already strutted its recruiting and NIL flex this offseason. The Hurricanes arrived via helicopter to a high school in Texas to recruit talent back in January. Incoming quarterback Carson Beck received a seven-figure NIL deal to transfer and replace Cam Ward.
Cantwell is the top ranked prospect in Missouri. Plus ranks as the No. 1 tackle prospect for the ’26 class by 247Sports. Scouting analyst Gabe Brooks of 247Sports even called Cantwell “an advanced mover at this stage of development.” While adding he’s “quick off the ball and flashes hand violence and general power at the point of attack.”
Georgia is still one to monitor on Miami’s side. Cantwell and his family are visiting the Athens campus during Mother’s Day weekend. Steve Wiltfong of On3 reports the Bulldogs have the edge right now.
The post Miami flashes $2 million deal to 5-star talent appeared first on ClutchPoints.
Post Comment