These days, recruitment keeps throwing curveballs that no one sees coming. First, Bryce Underwood’s move to Michigan stunned everyone, and now the nation’s No. 1 recruit, Jackson Cantwell, has decided to turn down teams like Georgia, Oregon, and Ohio State to team up with Mario Cristobal at Miami. Crazy, right? Look, knowing Jackson’s family history, with both of his parents having an Olympic shot-putting background, suggested a future in the SEC or Big Ten, but this came as a total plot twist. Interestingly, they even made a 1,200-mile trip to visit LSU, Georgia, and Alabama. Yet, he’s heading to the ACC. And Cristobal? His aggressive recruiting continues, as he aims to assemble a top-ranked 2026 recruiting class.

Look, Jackson Cantwell’s commitment instantly boosted Miami’s recruiting. The Hurricanes leaped from ninth to eighth in the 2026 On3 rankings, claiming the ACC’s top class. Cantwell is Miami’s tenth 2026 commit, a decision fueled by Mario Cristobal and offensive line coach Alex Mirabal’s reputation for developing NFL talent, including Detroit Lions star Penei Sewell. Then there’s right tackle Francis Mauigoa, who looks set to be the next first-rounder. It’s no surprise that Cantwell called Mirabal the best offensive line coach in the country.

Also, Jackson Cantwell kind of hinted at his move back in December when he talked about how HC recruits were only interested in powerhouses and no other programs. But that’s not the case anymore, as the resources and opportunities are spread out. “Originally, Georgia, Bama, Ohio State, and Clemson were kind of four schools that, like most blue-chip guys, would end up going to,” Cantwell said.

“But now everything’s so spread out, the resources are spread out, you’re not just vying for those same four jobs. There are a lot of great jobs. There are a lot of great situations in other places. You can be successful anywhere,” Cantwell added. And cut to next, he is a part of Miami. But this is just the start, as Mario Cristobal is planning to make a big splash for his 2026 class. How?

Coach Cristobal is aiming to revamp his offense and defense as a high priority. Leading the charge for Miami are two top in-state recruits: Derrek Cooper, the nation’s No. 3 running back, and Calvin Russell, its No. 5 receiver. Miami faces stiff competition from Georgia and Ohio State for Cooper, while Russell is also considering LSU, Oregon, and Syracuse. Currently, Miami holds the On3 RPM advantage for both.

Defensively, Miami targets several key Florida linemen, including On3’s No. 1 defensive lineman, James Johnson (heavily pursued by Georgia), and Kendall Guervil, the nation’s No. 12 at the position (also coveted by Texas). Miami also hopes to land On300 edge rusher Asharri Charles. Out-of-state, they’re pursuing five-star prospects Lamar Brown and Anthony “Tank” Jones, along with Top 100 prospect Bryce Perry-Wright. While LSU and Texas A&M lead for Brown, and Alabama is strong for Jones, Miami remains a contender for Perry-Wright.

Miami’s offensive line continues to grow under Mario Cristobal, with Cantwell becoming the third lineman in their recruiting class, joining the highly touted Joel Ervin and promising Midwestern prospect Ben Congdon. Despite USC’s recent commitment from top offensive tackle Keenyi Pepe, Miami remains aggressive, prioritizing IMG Academy’s Breck Kolojay and favoring in-state legacy recruit Canon Pickett. Then comes Johnnie Jones, the nation’s eighth-ranked tackle, and fellow in-state prospect Chancellor Campbell are also on their radar.

But if you think that’s the end of the list, then you are very wrong.

Mario Cristobal’s major recruitment haul

Look, after Jackson Cantwell’s commitment, Mario Cristobal’s 2026 class already looks promising. But with just 10 commits, it’s still pretty thin. So, now they are also targeting some game-changing playmakers.

Miami’s recruiting efforts target some of the nation’s top high school prospects. Leading the pack is On3’s No. 2 cornerback, Davon Benjamin, with Oregon holding the On3 RPM edge, but Miami is a strong contender. Following last year’s success flipping five-star Hayden Lowe, Miami again pursues Benjamin from Oaks Christian (Calif.). They also lead for four-star Peach State prospect Blake Stewart, having recruited him the longest.

Additionally, Miami is actively recruiting Florida safety CJ Hester and highly-rated cornerbacks Chauncey Kennon and Justice Fitzpatrick. Now, Mario Cristobal is also targeting the committed slot to flip their commitment. And the list is pretty long. First, there is five-star receiver Tristen Keys (LSU commit), the nation’s top wideout, who has visited twice.

Then there’s Georgia commit Vance Spafford (On300 receiver) also visited and plans a return. Miami shares the lead with Notre Dame for Texas slot receiver Brayden Robinson, and remains involved with top receivers Jase Mathews, Messiah Hampton, and in-state four-star Somourian Wingo.

At tight end, Miami’s recruiting efforts are broad, keeping tabs on four-star Tennessee commit Carson Sneed and hosting On300 athlete Heze Kent for an official visit. Zachery Turner from Duncanville (Texas) and former Arizona State commit Israel Briggs also remain in contention. This represents just a fraction of Miami’s extensive recruiting targets.

Now, let’s just wait and see if Mario Cristobal can make it all happen or not!