Not to sound like a football traditionalist or romantic. But most cliches and stereotypes in the sport’s nomenclature exist for a reason. There’s merit to why they’ve stood the test of time. Even as the sport continues to evolve at lightspeed, some stuff is just etched into its fabric perpetually. The most recent Super Bowl fanned the flames of one such cliché. That football is won and lost in the trenches. The Eagles reiterated how winning the battle at the line of scrimmage is the foundation for winning the war, for glory. Even the best quarterback in the world is rendered futile behind an offensive line getting overwhelmed. Not that he needed this reminder, but Miami’s Mario Cristobal is certainly an advocate for this footballing 101. Renowned for his recruiting wizardry, Coach Cristobal is putting all his magic behind 5-star offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell. 

The No. 1 rated recruit nationally in the class of ‘26, Jackson Cantwell, was initially going to announce his commitment on April 30th. But that didn’t transpire, and there’s still a handful of schools tussling for his services. Mario Cristobal’s Canes is one of them. Cantwell named them in his exclusive shortlist of possible landing spots, and Miami has reciprocated this love with its unwavering efforts. The Nixa, Missouri, native made a trip to Coral Gables in mid-March. To return the favor, offensive line coach Alex Mirabal visited Jackson Cantwell in Nixa on May 4th. In the aftermath of this visit, the pièce de résistance of this recruiting class spoke about where the program stands in his estimation and their chances.

Alex Mirabal is unequivocally one of the premier O-line coaches in the country. His track record of developing the position and lineage of protégés speaks for itself. It was a power move to visit Jackson Cantwell at this juncture when his recruitment was still in the balance. His comments, courtesy of CaneSport, imply Miami isn’t just making up the numbers in Cantwell’s 4-school shortlist. They’re really a top contender in this race. A race that also includes bluebloods, Georgia. A modern dynasty synonymous with success this decade. As well as another en route to that moniker and status in Oregon. 

“I’ll be honest, Miami is recruiting me the hardest right now,” said Jackson Cantwell after Alex Mirabal’s in-home visit. “Obviously, that’s not the be-all and end-all. [But] there’s something to be said for that.” The 6’7, 300 lb. man-mountain also said he hears from Mario Cristobal and Alex Mirabal every day. “I think the general vibe I’m getting is that their program wants to invest a lot in me, wants to invest time and effort…They think I’m a high priority there. A guy that can play early and fit in their system. They’re willing to pour a lot into me as a player and as a person. So there’s a lot to take from that, for sure,” he added. Cantwell proceeded to elaborate further on the “play early” bit. After all, a player of this ilk wouldn’t want to skip a year redshirting. 

“Mario Cristobal has coached a lot of guys that play early. He’s very open to it. They prioritize O-line development. They’re the only program left in [the reckoning] for me that has an O-line guy as their head coach. So I know they will prioritize that,” remarked Jackson Cantwell.

It does seem Miami has made one thing apparent to Cantwell in their recruiting pitch: Pick us and you’ll start from the jump. Conventional wisdom suggests it’s ideal for a lineman coming out of high school to sit a year and get prepared physically. But Cantwell doesn’t resonate with convention. He projects as someone who’s ready to protect the quarterback from Day 1. In light of these comments, Miami insider Alex Donno and recruiting expert Brian Smith delved into what they made of them. Alongside the overall dynamic of this recruitment. 

Insiders dissect Jackson Cantwell’s comments after Alex Mirabal’s in-home visit

Guesting on the “Locked on Canes” podcast, Brian Smith said, “The interesting part is that [Alex] Mirabal, unlike most O-line coaches, can actually recruit. Most of them just don’t have the personality to do it. Alex does. So I’m curious how much you move the needle with his in-home [visit]. If Miami does sign Jackson Cantwell, I think that’ll be the key. Mirabal is probably one of the top five or so O-line recruiters in the country. Kids just seem to gravitate to him.”

Smith also aired caution around Georgia. Cantwell has an unofficial visit to Athens in the pipeline on May 10th. He’s supposed to announce his commitment on May 13th. So the late nature of this makes Smith wary of Miami’s position in the hierarchy. He also said Cantwell would likely plug in at right tackle instantly if, indeed, Cantwell picks them.

Alex Donno, reacting to Jackson Cantwell’s aforementioned comments, said, “It sounds to me like Cantwell has a really good idea of what Miami is going to offer him from a development standpoint. I think the b–l is in Cantwell’s court. He’s going to have to decide if Oregon or Georgia gives him a better opportunity.” There’s a ton of ambiguity around Jackson Cantwell’s recruitment. Pushing his announcement from April 30th to May 13th has only increased the fervor around him. Which, perhaps, was the goal of the postponement. Alas, we shall find out whether Alex Mirabal getting feet on the ground really did make a difference in the grand scheme of things.