Texas A&M Aggies Impress 5-Star OT on Visit

Originally posted on Texas A&M Aggies on SI
By Zach Dimmitt | Last updated Jan 12, 2025 10:47 PM ET

The Texas A&M Aggies continue to have a busy offseason after finishing the first regular season under head coach Mike Elko.

Texas A&M hosted 2026 five-star offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell for a visit over the weekend and clearly impressed one of the best players in the recruiting class. Cantwell told On3's Chad Simmons that he "likes the Aggies a lot."

“The visit was good,” Cantwell told Simmons. “I enjoyed College Station and getting to see everything I needed to see. ... They made me feel like a priority this weekend. ... The development, culture, coaching staff and continued interest make the Aggies a contender. We will see how the official visits shake out, but I like the Aggies a lot.”

Cantwell, a product of Nixa (Missouri), is the No. 1 offensive tackle and the No. 3 overall player in the 2026 class, per 247Sports' recruiting rankings. Name a program and he's likely received an offer from them. He's also taken unofficial visits with Georgia, Alabama, LSU, Oregon, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, TCU and Tennessee.

Both of his parents were Olympians, so it's not too surprising that 247Sports scouting analyst Gabe Brooks described Cantwell as having "a stellar athletic profile."

"Tall, big-framed offensive tackle prospect with a stellar athletic profile and pedigree who's an advanced mover at this stage of development," Brooks wrote.

If the Aggies can beat out the rest of the country and land a commitment from Cantwell at some point in the future, he'd join a Texas A&M 2026 recruiting class that features four-star talents like receiver Aaron Gregory, quarterback Helaman Casuga, tight ends Xavier Tiller and Caleb Tafua, edge rusher Samu Moala, defensive lineman Trashawn Ruffin and receiver Madden Williams along with three-stars like safety Markel Ford and cornerback Ryan Gilbert.

This article first appeared on Texas A&M Aggies on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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