NIXA — Even though he’s the No. 1 football recruit in the country, Jackson Cantwell wants everyone to know that there are still plenty of aspects of his game that he needs to improve on.
Cantwell, a Miami (Florida) commit, recently had a humbling experience when he worked out with a pair of NFL free agents in recent weeks. He and five-star Texas Tech commit Felix Ojo went through drills, reminding Cantwell of how far he has to go to achieve his dream of playing in the NFL.
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“While I do think, as a high school player, I’ve gotten significantly better from three years ago to now, there’s still so much stuff I can fix,” Cantwell said. “It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but the amount of things I learned from that day showed me what I can fix, but gives me so much hope going forward that I continue becoming a better player.”
Cantwell enters his senior season hoping to lead Nixa to a state championship after finishing as a Class 6 runner-up in 2024. He plans to graduate in December, forgoing his senior track and field season to join the Hurricanes in the spring.
More: All of our 2025 Missouri State, high school football preseason coverage in one place
Nixa Eagles offensive lineman Jackson Cantwell during warmups before a MSHSAA Class 6 Quarterfinal game against the Lee’s Summit North Broncos at Lee’s Summit North High School in Lee’s Summit, MO on November 22, 2024.
Cantwell sees an offensive line that’s capable of improving upon the one it fielded last year, which led the Eagles to 3,710 total rushing yards and 1,899 through the air. He believes fellow linemen Hayden Mays and Hunter Jensen have the potential to become all-state performers. Additionally, he expects all-state quarterback Adam McKnight to continue improving, and newcomer Jayden McCaster in the backfield could help the offense explode.
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It’s led to many outsiders, whether they’re sports reporters or random TikTok and X accounts, tabbing Nixa as the No. 1 team in Class 6 going into the season.
“We don’t get counted in much because we’re from the 417 area,” Cantwell said. “We’re just trying to get rid of that stigma and bust the door down.”
Additional improvement from Cantwell could help him achieve both of his goals — winning a state championship and being named the Gatorade National Player of the Year. He had 158 pancake blocks in 2024 and didn’t allow a sack.
Cantwell breaks down his game to the smallest details that the common viewer doesn’t notice. Even after a Nixa win, he’ll think back to certain plays about how he could’ve had better hand placement or footwork. In Nixa’s run-heavy offense, he knows his pass blocking will need heavy work before he takes the field in Coral Gables.
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He worked this offseason with offensive line guru Duke Manyweather, who has helped develop standout NFL linemen like Will Campbell, Rashawn Slater, Peter Skoronski, and many others. The focus was on reworking Cantwell’s steps on outside-zone blocking and continuous work on pass protection.
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“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,” Cantwell said. “It only gets easier whenever you’re proficient in your technique within the game. As far as my improvement this year, I think that it’ll only continue to get better.”
Cantwell continues to have constant communication with Miami coach Mario Cristobal and offensive line coach Alex Mirabal. He’ll visit Hard Rock Stadium when the Hurricanes host Florida (Sept. 20) and Stanford (Oct. 25). He’s counting down the days until Miami hosts Notre Dame (Aug. 31) and expects transfer quarterback Carson Beck to have the Hurricanes in contention in the ACC and for a spot in the College Football Playoff.
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In the meantime, he’ll take in his last few months in a Nixa uniform. He may end his career as the greatest high school athlete to come through southwest Missouri. His focus now is to lead Nixa to a state championship.
“It’ll be weird to leave this part of my life behind me, but life goes on,” Cantwell said. “I’m excited. I think it’s a great program and I’m excited to try and leave my mark on it.”
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Jackson Cantwell: Miami Hurricanes football commit talks improvement
