Five-star OT Jackson Cantwell wins National Under-20 shot put championship

While Jackson Cantwell already secured his commitment to the Miami Hurricanes, he continues to dazzle in track and field. This time, he won the Under-20 national shot put title in the Nike Outdoor Nationals in Eugene, Oregon.

Despite being the youngest competitor, Cantwell won by throwing a six-kilogram shot 69 feet, eight inches away. Meanwhile, North Dakota freshman Ethan Thomas finished second with a throw of 68 feet, 7 ¾ inches. Oregon’s Ben Smith (66’ 10 ¾”) and Ole Miss commit Ashton Hearn (64’ 5”) came in third and fourth, respectively.

Jackson Cantwell aspired to break the competition’s national record. Still, winning gold is a nice consolation for the On3 Class of 2026’s top college football prospect. He adds this accomplishment to his Missouri high school track and field shot put and discus throw state titles. If everything goes well, the 6-foot-7 offensive tackle could follow his parent’s footsteps and be a future Olympian.

Meanwhile, Cantwell helped the Nixa Eagles high school football team reach the Missouri Class 6 state championship but lost to DeSmet Jesuit, their only loss in 14 games last season. However, the Eagles finished the year as Missouri’s top-ranked team, based on the On3 Composite Team Rankings.

After the Nike Outdoor Nationals, he returns to Nixa for his senior high school football season, hoping to win a state title this time. As his mission stays the same, so too is his On3 Industry Ranking compared to other high school football seniors. His 98.77 mark is slightly over Georgia commit Jared Curtis for the number one spot. Likewise, his NIL value is estimated at $1.9 million.

The Hurricanes are lucky to welcome Jackson Cantwell, who, as On3’s Charles Power wrote, is a “Big-framed offensive tackle with eye-popping athleticism and functional strength as a high school underclassman.”