Mario Cristobal, widely regarded as one of the top recruiting head coaches in the country, is making a serious push to land the nation’s No. 1 recruit, Jackson Cantwell.
But it won’t come easy
Cantwell, a five-star offensive tackle listed at 6-foot-8 and 300 pounds, hails from Nixa, Missouri — right in the heart of SEC country. While that would seemingly make Missouri a natural contender, it’s Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs who currently lead the race.
Cantwell is scheduled to visit Georgia on May 10, just three days before his May 13 commitment date. Meanwhile, Cristobal is pulling out all the stops. According to On3’s Pete Nakos, Miami is offering close to $2 million in NIL money to try and bring the towering lineman to Coral Gables.
Even Cantwell himself acknowledged Miami’s relentless pursuit.
“I’ll be honest, Miami is recruiting me the hardest right now,” Cantwell told On3’s Stephen Wagner.
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Cristobal and offensive line coach Alex Mirabal appear to be in near-daily contact with the five-star prospect. Cantwell received an in-home visit from Mirabal last Sunday, and he spoke glowingly of the coaching staff’s approach — particularly Cristobal’s track record with offensive linemen.
“Obviously that’s not the end-all be-all, but there’s something to be said for that,” Cantwell said. “I hear from coach Cristobal every day. I hear from coach Mirabal every day. Mario Cristobal has coached a lot of guys that play early. He’s very open to it. They prioritize O-line development. They’re the only program left in it for me that has an O-line guy as their head coach, so I know they’ll prioritize that.”
Cristobal, a former offensive lineman himself, has placed major emphasis on rebuilding the trenches since arriving at Miami in 2022. Entering the 2025 season, the Hurricanes are projected to have one of the top offensive lines in the country.
