Jackson Cantwell

Physical Profile

Listed at 6-7, 325 lbs. Taller than 75% and heavier than 93% of 2026 Offensive Tackle prospects in the SEC Scouts database (182 with a listed size).

Play Style

He plays like a finisher on the left side. In the run game he uses his mass and hip explosion to move defenders off the ball rather than just walling them off, and he keeps driving through the whistle. In pass protection his length lets him set a deep pocket and redirect rushers well past the quarterback. His power comes from his base and hips, the same skill a shot putter uses, so he often ends a rep with the defender on the ground or turned away instead of in a stalemate. Miami's staff singled out his quick adjustment to college speed ('sink or swim' in camp) as the reason he is in the starting conversation right away.

Strengths

• Blind-side size and length (6-8/330 on Miami's roster), so edge rushers have a long way to go around him and he can recover even when he loses the first step
• Explosive lower body and hip power from a throwing-sports family, which shows up as displacement in the run game rather than just leaning on defenders
• Proven résumé against the full field of recruits: consensus No. 1 OT, No. 1 player in Missouri, 2024 Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year and the first OL ever named Gatorade National Player of the Year
• Maturity and readiness: he is competing for Miami's starting left tackle spot as a true freshman after committing more than a year before signing

Areas to Improve

• Level of competition: Missouri high school football rarely gave him SEC/ACC-caliber speed rushers, so his pass-set timing and hand placement against counters (spin, inside moves after a speed rush) will be tested for the first time in college
• Pad level and keeping weight on the right spot as a very tall lineman: at 6-8 he has to keep winning with bent knees instead of reaching and bending at the waist, especially on second-level blocks and pulls

College Projection

He is an immediate contributor and a likely multi-year starter at left tackle for Mario Cristobal and OL coach Alex Mirabal, whom he named as the reason he chose Miami. As of fall 2026 he is battling fellow freshman Okunlola for the left tackle job. Realistic path: meaningful snaps or a starting role in 2026, then an entrenched blind-side starter by 2027 who could make All-ACC as a sophomore if the technique catches up to his tools.

NFL Outlook

He has first-round tackle traits: elite size and length, rare power for his age, and a track record of developing fast. Because he is young for his class (born May 2008), he will still be only 20 or 21 when he first becomes draft-eligible after the 2028 season, which helps his draft value. If he locks down left tackle at Miami for two or more seasons, he projects as a Day 1 pick and a potential top-15 tackle. The main risk is typical of big tackles: whether his feet can handle NFL-caliber speed rushers.

Best Fit

A pro-style, gap- and duo-heavy offense that wants to run behind the left tackle and asks him to set a deep, vertical pass set, which is exactly what Cristobal and Mirabal run at Miami. His development gets the most help from an offensive line room coached by former college and NFL linemen, where he can mostly play in the power scheme his body suits and doesn't have to reach-block laterally all day in a pure wide-zone system.