Georgia football hosting five-star Jackson Cantwell just before commitment date

The countdown is officially on for Jackson Cantwell, the five-star offensive tackle out of Missouri and the No. 1 overall player in the Class of 2026. Cantwell is set to announce his college commitment on Tuesday, May 13, and the college football world is watching closely.

Cantwell, a 6-foot-8, 300-pound mauler with rare athleticism and technical polish, is a program-defining type of talent at left tackle. His recruitment has been fiercely competitive among some of college football’s powerhouses, with Georgia, Miami, Ohio State, and Oregon making up the final four contenders. However, the current buzz suggests this battle may come down to the Bulldogs and the Hurricanes.

Reports have swirled that Miami has made a strong push with a reported $2 million NIL package for Cantwell’s freshman season — a staggering figure even in today’s evolving recruiting landscape. The Hurricanes have aggressively leveraged their NIL war chest, and Cantwell’s potential presence in Coral Gables would be a cornerstone addition for their 2026 class.

Still, Georgia is surging at the right time. Since five-star quarterback Jared Curtis, the nation’s top signal caller in the class, recommitted to the Bulldogs earlier this month, the Bulldogs have gone full throttle in their pursuit of Cantwell. Curtis, a vocal recruiter among his peers, immediately declared Cantwell his top target to join him in Athens. He’s used his platform on social media and in interviews to lobby hard for the elite tackle to become his future blindside protector.

Hmm #GoDawgs❔ https://t.co/iPfIRTjwCe

— Jackson Cantwell (@jcantwell2499) May 5, 2025

The Georgia staff has matched Curtis’s energy. Head coach Kirby Smart, offensive coordinator Mike Bobo, and offensive line coach Stacy Searels have made Cantwell a top priority, reportedly building major momentum in recent weeks. A critical piece of that push? Cantwell is visiting Georgia on May 10 — his final trip before announcing his decision.

While Oregon and Ohio State are still firmly in the mix, most industry insiders believe this recruitment is boiling down to Georgia and Miami. Cantwell’s last visit to Athens could be a pivotal moment, as the Bulldogs hope to seal the deal and add another generational talent to what could become one of Kirby Smart’s most impressive recruiting hauls to date.

A decision looms on Tuesday, and if Georgia pulls this off, it would mark back-to-back five-star commitments in just over a week — a statement stretch for the Dawgs on the trail.