Top high school football recruit from Missouri to earn millions in Miami NIL deal.
Relationships won in the end,” Cantwell said.
Miami’s NIL offer also clearly helped. On3.com’s Pete Nakos said last week that Miami offered Cantwell an NIL deal that would pay him $2 million as a freshman. His NIL deal was negotiated by South Florida-based Rosenhaus Sports.
On Tuesday, On SI recruiting director Brooks Austin said the value of the deal increased to near $5 million.
“It’s a blessing to get paid to play the game I love,” Cantwell said. “I’m excited I get to earn money in college and the NFL.”
Cantwell’s parents are both Olympic athletes.
Five-star offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell, considered one of the top prospects in the 2026 recruiting class, said Tuesday that he will attend the University of Miami, giving the Canes one of their biggest recruiting wins of the Mario Cristobal era.
Cantwell — who announced his commitment at a news conference at Nixa (Missouri) High — visited Georgia over the weekend after previous visits to Miami, Oregon and Ohio State. Those four schools were considered the finalists and had their hats on the table when Cantwell made his decision in the Nixa High gymnasium on Tuesday. Ducks coaches reportedly came to his high school to meet with him again on Monday.
But Miami won out after a persistent push in which they emphasized how Cristobal and offensive line coach Alex Mirabal have developed offensive linemen into polished prospects and NFL players. That includes three-time Pro Bowl tackle Penei Sewell of the Detroit Lions.
Relationships won in the end,” Cantwell said.
Miami’s NIL offer also clearly helped. On3.com’s Pete Nakos said last week that Miami offered Cantwell an NIL deal that would pay him $2 million as a freshman. His NIL deal was negotiated by South Florida-based Rosenhaus Sports.
On Tuesday, On SI recruiting director Brooks Austin said the value of the deal increased to near $5 million.
“It’s a blessing to get paid to play the game I love,” Cantwell said. “I’m excited I get to earn money in college and the NFL.”
Cantwell’s parents are both Olympic athletes.
Cantwell can sign with Miami no earlier than mid-December and Cantwell said he will sign during that “earliest” window. The current commitment is non-binding.
“I know coach Mirabal and coach Cristobal have spent so much time recruiting me over the past year,” he said. “They’ve texted me every day. Talked so much about offensive line development. Their history with guys like Penei Sewell, Francis Mauogia, it’s a place I can develop and be something great. I like Coral Gables, love the university a lot
