Look, Jackson Cantwell isn’t your run-of-the-mill five-star recruit; he’s the top offensive tackle in the 2026 class, and can we blame him? His talent is in his genes. His father, Olympic shot put thrower Christian Cantwell, gave him both athleticism and power, making him a highly sought-after prospect. But for now, Cantwell is standing at the crossroads. With his May 13 decision looming, schools are vying for his commitment. Oregon, Georgia, Ohio State, and Miami are all in the running, but one school appears to be the frontrunner, potentially securing his commitment before the others blink.

Well, this past weekend turned out to be a game-changing moment for Dan Lanning and his program. Not only did Jackson Cantwell visit Eugene, but he also got one step closer to making his final move. And recruiting guru Steve Wiltfong is pretty sure that’s the case as he tells On3 Recruits, “Talking to Jackson Cantwell on Monday morning, and talking to his father, Christian Cantwell, it was obviously a huge visit with Oregon. It really moved the needle. Jackson told me: ‘They have it all. They do everything right.’ It was just a great experience overall. He got a chance to spend time with players on the team and with former offensive linemen that spoke firsthand about their experiences in Eugene.”

Now, that’s a straight-up fact. Even Jackson Cantwell looks pretty thrilled after his visit with the Ducks. As he hit X, praising their staff and the way Dan Lanning is shaping the program. “Man. That was a blast. Thank you to Coach Lanning, Coach Terry & the rest of the Law Firm, and everyone else that spent time with me this weekend.”

Look, the most important stage is to impress parents, and Oregon surely did that, as Cantwell’s dad, Christian, seemed pretty satisfied with the program, as he said, “A couple of key takeaways for Jackson would be their commitment to helping him reach the level of personal development that he is capable of, whatever that ends up being.”

On top of that, Dan Lanning pulled a masterstroke by bringing in former Duck and current Las Vegas Raiders offensive lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson into the town. This guy made a strong impact on both Jackson and his father. “They had Jackson Powers-Johnson come back and be a big part of the weekend and give his testimony for Coach Terry and the entire staff. They had Josh Conerly come in and develop, and they see Jackson being on a similar path.” Cantwell’s father said. And let’s be real, a Rimington Trophy and a No. 44 overall pick in the NFL draft sure make a difference.

Let’s not forget that Oregon’s 2025 NFL draft did make things easier for them. Apart from Johnson, their offensive tackles, Josh Conerly Jr., was a first-round pick for the Washington Commanders, and Ajani Cornelius a sixth-round pick for the Dallas Cowboys. And the Ducks’ coaching staff sure used them as their key weapon. Result? Jackson Cantwell’s contentment with the team. “The OV was great. The takeaways are that they want me to play football and throw for them and do so at an extremely high level with great coaching and all the resources I could ever need to succeed.” Cantwell said.

Look after losing Kodi Greene‘s commitment to Washington, Dan Lanning isn’t taking any risk with Jackson Cantwell. They are also rooting for Immanuel Iheanacho‘s commitment. But for now, NIL might also play a big part in Cantwell’s recruitment.

Jackson Cantwell’s massive NIL projection

Look, NIL does play a crucial role in shaping teams. And with Bryce Underwood‘s 10.5 million deal, it’s evident that no matter how great your team is, money holds an upper hand in this new era of NIL and the transfer portal. And that’s exactly what might give Oregon an upper hand over other programs in Cantwell’s recruitment.

“But this trip to Oregon was Cantwell’s best of the process. The development at the point of attack and where they’re at as a program on the field certainly excites. Testimonials from former players, the branding and NIL opportunities, and competing in track and field, at the very least, have put Oregon right there with Georgia.” Wiltfong said.

Look, we all know Dan Lanning has Phil Knight’s Nike deal, which he can easily use to get his favorite players. And on top of that, Jackson Cantwell’s rumored NIL package, as per 247Sports, also says the same story. This guy is projected to get $2 million for over three years, which gets him a massive $6 million deal. Even Wiltfong made it clear that Oregon isn’t taking any chances: “Oregon pitched some unique ideas from a branding standpoint—what they can do with that and the resources they’d have behind it. Oregon is trending up for Jackson Canwell. I logged an On3 RPM pick in favor of Georgia last week because that’s where the pulse was.”

Kirby Smart‘s Georgia was on top in Jackson Cantwell’s recruitment, but after he visited Oregon, things are looking different. But there’s still hope, as Wiltfong said, “The Bulldogs have been in the driver’s seat for a lot of this recruitment, going back two summers ago when he started hitting the road and checking out his favorite programs. He’s always felt comfortable with Georgia and what they offer, how they develop their athletes, and how they’re always in contention for championships.”

The best part is Jackson Cantwell has one more visit left for Georgia before making his final announcement. So, now it’s all on Kirby Smart and his team how they play their cards.