UCLA Football: #1 Ranked 5-Star OL Recruit Offered by Bruins

Sam Garcia | Aug 13, 2024

Bruce E Stidham Special to the News-Leader / USA TODAY NETWORK

The UCLA football program is already seeking out its next set of talented recruits for the 2026 season. Although two years away, it is critical to act quickly when trying to acquire a five-star talent. The Bruins have sent an offer to the nation’s No. 1 offensive lineman recruit in the Class of 2026, Jackson Cantwell.

Cantwell, a rising high school junior at Nixa High School, announced the news of the Bruins’ offer via X on Tuesday morning. 

Blessed to announce that I’ve received an offer from @UCLAFBRecruit! @deshaunfoster26 @ebieniemy@olcoachcastillo @coachstace_#DoMore #WelcomeToTheFosEra #NSGB @jperry_nixa @CoachMedley66 pic.twitter.com/bstAm37IZz

— Jackson Cantwell (@jcantwell2499) August 13, 2024

According to his recruit profile on 247Sports.com, UCLA’s offer is the 30th Division I offer Cantwell has received. With two more full seasons of high school football remaining, it is likely that Cantwell will accumulate more before making a final decision.

Out of the 30 offers he has acquired so far, nearly every school is part of ESPN’s top 25 college football teams. The only top-25 teams he has not received an offer from yet are Texas, Utah, Clemson, Oklahoma State, Arizona, and NC State. But, given his high national ranking, it would not be surprising to see a future offer come his way. 

There is currently one committed offensive tackle in both the Class of 2025 and 2026, which is rising Rocklin High School senior Garrison Blank. This means there is a high demand for Cantwell's position among recruits.

The Bruins have sent offers to four other offensive tackles in Cantwell’s class, all of which are in the top 40 for their position. The other recruits include No. 2 Immanuel Iheanacho, No. 7 OT Keenyi Pope, No. 24 Marlen Bright, and No. 35 Esaiah Wong. 

Cantwell’s 6-foot-8, 300-pound build makes him the quintessential offensive lineman.  In his sophomore season, he did not allow a single sack and logged 91 pancake blocks. 

In his sophomore season, Cantwell set a Missouri state record for shot put in May and recently was crowned the shot put national champion at Nike’s Outdoor Nationals in June. His father, Christian Cantwell, is a five-time world champion and 2008 Beijing Olympics silver medalist. His mother, formerly Terri Steer, is an SMU Hall of Famer and two-time NCAA shot put national champion.

Cantwell’s father is a Missouri alum, which is one of the 30 offers Cantwell has received and could play a role in where the five-star recruit decides to commit. But, with National Signing Day a few months away, Cantwell has plenty of time to make a decision.