What is life like for Jackson Cantwell as the No. 1 football recruit in the nation?

Posted by author February 25, 2025 Football

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On a recent morning, after announcing the six college football programs Jackson Cantwell is considering attending, he woke up to the familiar sound of his phone going off with text messages from different coaches.

This time, it was seemingly everyone on the Georgia Bulldogs coaching staff. Some numbers were saved on his phone, and others were new. From head coach Kirby Smart to offensive coordinator Mike Bobo to position coaches and analysts, Cantwell’s inbox was filled. He assumed they had just gotten out of a recruiting meeting.

“I don’t think I got back to all of them,” Cantwell laughed, noting he still had over a dozen unread texts on his phone. “I was like, ‘This is going to take way too long.'”

Such is the life for the 16-year-old offensive line phenom as coaches across the nation await an answer from the No. 1 recruit in the 2026 high school football class. In alphabetical order, he’s narrowed his list down to Georgia, Miami (Florida), Michigan, Missouri, Ohio State, and Oregon.

He’s the only kid in his Nixa class with an agent. He’s represented by Rosenhaus Sports, led by well-known sports agent Drew Rosenhaus, as he pursues Name, Image, and Likeness benefits. On3’s NIL Valuations database ranks Cantwell as the 82nd most valuable high school or college athlete in the nation, behind the likes of Arch Manning, Cooper Flagg, Carson Beck, and Livvy Dunne, who rank at the top.

He said money isn’t what will make his impending decision.

“The main decision is obviously going to be made on quality of life and the football stuff,” Cantwell said. “I’m glad I have good agents in my corner, and I’m glad I’m well-represented, and I can make sure that everything’s going to be what’s best for me.”

Cantwell is trying to schedule official visits to his six finalists. He recently shared that he’ll make trips in March to Miami, Ohio State, and Michigan, with more announcements to come. An August announcement is likely inside the Nixa gymnasium in front of the entire student body.

When the snow hasn’t locked him inside in recent weeks, he’s found a way to throw the shot put and discus as he pursues national records in what he calls his “best sport.” The reigning national champion in the shot put throw said he still plans to throw in college, as his Olympian parents did before him, and the six schools remaining will allow it.

He’s made it clear to all coaches that he’s going to college to be a football player, and that’s where most of his effort will be. Rather than being a professional thrower, he thinks he’ll make more money with a possible NFL future.

His love for football grew after realizing that he wasn’t going to be a basketball player and when he got used to playing the contact sport. He then realized it could be his calling when pancaking 286 defenders over his first three seasons.

“I just like football more, to be honest with you,” Cantwell said. “I like track, but I think I like football more because it’s my own thing. My parents did track and made that happen. No one in my family has been the football guy yet.”

Cantwell is also looking for opportunities to just be a kid. He likes to play EA Sports College Football as any other sports-loving teenager would. He challenges himself with teams like James Madison and Vanderbilt, offering little insight into which of the six finalists he may be leaning toward.

He’ll do his best to make time for friends around his busy workout, travel schedule, and schoolwork. In addition to the 33 he got on his ACT before ever taking a high school class, Cantwell is a 4.0 student.

Cantwell will eventually have to make a big decision over the next six months, and he’ll miss some of the stronger relationships he’s formed with those at the five schools he’ll eventually have to rule out. But there’s one thing he certainly won’t miss.

“I’m excited for the texts and phone calls to be over,” Cantwell said. “I won’t miss that at all. I don’t like checking my phone that much. I do like talking to these coaches and soaking in the wisdom. I’ll miss those relationships, but that’s just kind of how this is.”