If you need another reason to have high expectations for 6-foot-8, and 330-pound freshman offensive lineman Jackson Cantwell, look no further than ESPN. The network ranked him No. 1 on its list of the top 10 freshman expected to make an immediate impact in the ACC.
Cantwell comes into year one as one of the most important players on the Hurricanes’ offensive line. Offensive line coach Alex Mirabal has done an incredible job since his tenure started in Coral Gables. He has sent a handful of lineman into the NFL, most recently Francis Mauigoa. This past season, Miami lost four of their five starters following the College Football Playoff run. Cantwell joined the program to replace that lost production and to become the next five-star lineman developed into the NFL.
According to 247Sports, Cantwell was considered as the nation’s No. 2 offensive tackle in the country and the No. 6 player overall. He accomplished the Gatorade National Player of the Year Award and helped his Nixa Eales to an overall record of 13-1, while recording a total of 173 pancakes blocks through 13 games.
He has already turned many eyes from coaches and has shown many flashes during fall practice and spring training camp. As the season gets closer day by day, Cantwell has already seen many top media outlets naming him as the next great offensive lineman at Miami. Here is what ESPN had to say about the former five-star prospect.
“Cantwell is one of the nation’s most important newcomers regardless of class and certainly faces some of the highest expectations of any freshman. That’s both because of his ceiling — the 6-8, 330-pounder has all the tools of a cornerstone left tackle — and the Hurricanes’ recent history of turning five-star tackles into productive stalwarts after turning Francis Mauigoa into a first-round pick.”