Jackson Cantwell didn’t just pick Miami. He doubled down on Mario Cristobal’s vision. The five-star lineman bought into the daily grind with Cristobal and Alex Mirabal, on a bond built on trust and development. And his pledge lit a fire under the ’Canes, flipping the energy of the 2026 cycle overnight. When Derrek Cooper first leaned Texas, Miami fans slumped. Then, with Cantwell on board, hope is back. But now, a 280-pound talent is the prize, and Jackson Cantwell is part of the recruitment efforts.

On Friday, Miami insider Gaby Urrutia revealed that Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas OL Mark Matthews, a towering 6-6, 280-pound prospect, has Miami firmly on his radar heading into his junior season. He’ll be in the stands for next weekend’s Miami-Notre Dame clash: a perfect stage for Cristobal’s pitch. And one fan summed it up best, writing, “Matthews should be a Cane. Top local OT. Canes got a track record now with OL winning games.” Here, Jackson Cantwell is turning up the heat, pushing hard to bring this elite trench talent into the fold.

After the fan boldly declared, “Matthews should be a Cane,” Jackson Cantwell didn’t hesitate, chiming in with, “I agree @mark95matthews.” And who could argue? Matthews is a 2027 offensive tackle built like a prototype with twitch, length, and footwork that scouts rave about. He’s raw but already dominant at St. Thomas Aquinas, blending a basketball background with the power and agility to anchor a line for years. So, landing a talent like him isn’t just filling a need for Miami. It’s laying the foundation for a future dynasty. But what about Matthews’ growing interest in Cristobal’s Miami?

Here, Mark Matthews made it clear why Miami is on his radar, stating, “They showed me love. They showed a couple of my teammates love, so got to experience that with them. I know they have a tough O-line program.” That kind of respect matters. But even with Jackson Cantwell pushing hard, Miami isn’t alone in this race. Florida is breathing down their neck. According to On3’s RPM, the Hurricanes sit at 35.7%, while the Gators aren’t far behind at 31.2%. So, this battle for Matthews is heating up, and it’s shaping into a true Florida showdown for one of the nation’s top young tackles. But at the end of July, Mark Matthews told Rivals’ Steve Wiltfong that his recruitment is already stacked with blueblood attention.

FSU, OSU, Tennessee, Notre Dame, and Michigan are in the mix early, but that’s just scratching the surface. Matthews plans to hit as many campuses as possible this fall, with a visit list that reads like a who’s who of CFB: LSU, Miami, OSU, Florida, Clemson, Vols, Bama, South Carolina, and even possible trips to Nebraska and Oregon. So, the nation’s top programs are lining up, and Matthews is ready to see it all. Now, while Cantwell does his best to lure Matthews, he makes it clear that he’s not satisfied yet. He wants everyone to know there’s still plenty in his game that needs sharpening.

Jackson Cantwell’s most recent remarks

Miami commit Jackson Cantwell just got a wake-up call. The 5-star trained alongside a pair of NFL free agents and Texas Tech five-star Felix Ojo, and the grind showed him how far he still has to go. “I’ve gotten so much better from three years ago to now, but there’s still so much I can fix,” admitted Cantwell. “It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but it gave me hope. I know I can keep getting better.” Now, the 6-8, 316-pounder turns to his senior season at Nixa, chasing a state title before graduating early and heading to Miami next spring.

Although outsiders are already calling Nixa the No. 1 team, but Cantwell wants more. “We don’t get counted in much because we’re from the 417 area,” he said. “We’re just trying to get rid of that stigma and bust the door down.” So, after 158 pancake blocks and zero sacks allowed in 2024, he’s chasing both a state title and Gatorade National Player of the Year. While fine-tuning every detail, from hand placement to pass protection, before his next stop in Coral Gables. In short, Cantwell embraces the grind, determined to perfect his technique before heading to Miami.

“At the high school level, you don’t have to be a perfect technician, but I want to get as good as possible at it,” he said. That’s why he stays in constant touch with Mario Cristobal and Alex Mirabal while counting down visits to Hard Rock Stadium for marquee matchups against Florida, Stanford, and Notre Dame. Now, with faith in QB Carson Beck to keep Miami in the Playoff hunt, Cantwell’s focus remains on one last run at a state title with Nixa. “It’ll be weird to leave this part of my life behind me, but life goes on,” he said. “I’m excited to leave my mark.” As he looks to make his mark, let’s see how many elite talents Cantwell can help bring with him to Miami next season.