Top Basketball Prospect Jackson Cantwell Finally Reveals His Shocking College Decision

If you think legacy means just carrying a name, think again—Jackson Cantwell is tearing up the recruiting scene not just by pedigree, but sheer grit and talent. The nation’s top football prospect for the Class of 2026, and son of the late NFL player Christian Cantwell, has chosen to bring his imposing 6-foot-7 frame and elite skills to the University of Miami. It’s no surprise that he’s drawn to South Beach, especially with Mario Cristobal and his coaching staff painting such an attractive picture. But here’s a kicker—Cantwell isn’t just a bulldozer on the gridiron; he’s a record-smashing shot put phenom whose Olympic lineage might just hint at something bigger than football. Could Miami’s Hurricanes finally find the missing ingredient to rise to greatness with Jackson on board? One thing’s certain: this is more than a recruiting win—it’s the start of a compelling new chapter. LEARN MORE.

The top recruit in the college football Class of 2026 has made his decision.

Like so many other big athletes we know, he’s taking his talents to South Beach.

On Tuesday, Cantwell announced that he is joining the University of Miami. Cantwell  has spoken glowingly of head coach Mario Cristobal as well as offensive line coach Alex Mirabal in the past.

🚨BREAKING🚨 Five-Star Plus+ OT Jackson Cantwell has committed to Miami🙌

Cantwell is the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2026 class.

More from @SWiltfong_: https://t.co/xNuzCurgqC pic.twitter.com/x21V0nBmoJ

— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) May 13, 2025

247Sports rates Cantwell as the No. 1 overall prospect in the Class of 2025. He is the second-highest rated recruit to join the program since 2000.

Cantwell stands over 6-foot-7 and is more than just a dominating offensive line prospect. He is a track & field star who exceled in the shot put – just like his father before him. Cantwell is a state champion in the state of Missouri and set a high school record in the discus throw as a sophomore.

It’s safe to assume he got the talent from his family.

Cantwell’s father Christian Cantwell won an Olympic silver medal in the shotput in the 2008 Summer Olympics, while his mother Teri Steer is a former shot put Olympian in her own right, having competed at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.

On the football field, Cantwell is just as solid. He recorded over 90 pancake blocks at Nixa High School in 2023 and over 150 of them in 2024. 

For his efforts, Cantwell was named the Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year and a finalist for the Gatorade National Player of the Year. That’s a pretty rare pair of honors for an offensive lineman.

It’s still too early to say what kind of player Cantwell will be at the college level, let alone the NFL level, but if he’s this good this early in his career, we could be looking at the next Joe Thomas or someone in that vein. 

Miami could certainly use someone like that right about now.

With quarterback Cam Ward off to the NFL, the Miami Hurricanes have some question marks heading into 2025. Mario Cristobal has done a decent job of getting the program back to respectability, but they haven’t gotten over the hump just yet.

Related: Favorite Emerging For No. 1 Overall Recruit Jackson Cantwell