Nixa High School offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell, the No. 1 ranked high school football recruit for the class of 2026, announced he will play football at Miami during a ceremony on Tuesday, May 13, 2025. Nathan Papes/Springfield News-Leader / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Top 2026 Recruit Jackson Cantwell Defends Miami Commitment, Fires Back At Criticism

Originally posted on Miami Hurricanes on SI
By Mark Morales-Smith | Last updated May 21, 2025 11:21 AM ET

The top football prospect in the 2026 recruiting class, offensive lineman Jackson Cantwell, recently decided to commit to the Miami Hurricanes. There have been some criticisms. Most notable college football analyst and seemingly bitter former Georgia Bulldogs linebacker, David Pollack, who criticized both Cantwell and Miami over this decision. Pollack called Cantwell's decision a business decision and not a good one, and said the NIL package they gave him was a deal he wouldn't have done.

Cantwell has now spoken for himself and written exactly why he chose Miami over other schools like Georgia to put his feelings on record rather than have other people make assumptions about his choice.

Jackson Cantwell On Miami's Treatment Of Players

"Anyone can compare football stats from various schools. Almost nobody can compare how the people there treat the players and how much they truly love playing at a university. And even though there’s always someone that’s going to be unhappy about their situation on the field, nobody I’ve talked to truly wants out of Miami."

Jackson Cantwell On The Importance Of The Coaching Staff

"I met a lot of great people. But at the end of the day, the genuineness, the emphasis on my position, and the campus and academic prestige only helped me make my decision... The coaches are fantastic people and fantastic at what they do. And I’ve had the blessing of being recruited by a lot of fantastic schools... But I feel great about my choice, and I have a lot of reasons why. The amount of effort and objectiveness with which offensive line coach Alex Mirabal coaches is unmatched. It meant the world to me and my family how hard they recruited us and how much time they poured into us going into my decision, not just to get me to the school but to show me that they had a plan and thought highly of me to where I would have a lot of great opportunities on and off the field at the university."