By james art Nixa High School will travel to Glendale in week nine of the 2024 high school football season on Friday night.
Five-star Eagles junior offensive lineman Jackson Cantwell will be the main event as Rivals.com’s No. 1 player in the country.
Cantwell, the son of Olympians Christian Cantwell and Terry (Steer) Cantwell, is considering 14 different college programs, including Mizzou, where his parents attended, along with Alabama, Georgia, Oregon, USC and others.
Cantwell expects to choose his college destination sometime late next summer or early fall of 2025.
more: Springfield-area high school football: Complete coverage of the 2024 season
Nixa High School
class: 2026
Vital signs: 6-foot-8, 300 pounds.
Position: Offensive tackle
College Commitment: There isn’t
biography: Cantwell is the top-rated football recruit in the 2026 class and is being pursued by the top college programs in the country. He is also a national shot put champion and the son of Olympians Christian Cantwell and Terry (Steer) Cantwell.
Jackson Cantwell Rivals.com Rankings
Cantwell is the No. 1 overall player in the 2026 high school football class, according to Rivals.com.
Watch Jackson Cantwell live vs. Glendale
High school football fans across the country can watch Cantwell lead the Knicks against Glendale on YouTube.
Jackson Cantwell suggests
Cantwell recently named his top 14 schools.
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LSU
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Michigan
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Ohio State
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Florida
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Nebraska
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Mizu
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Miami (Florida)
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Alabama
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Texas A&M
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USC
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Georgia
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Oregon
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Arkansas
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ole miss
After Cantwell announced his final 14, he received offers from UCLA and Stanford.
Jackson Cantwell plans game day visits
Cantwell announced that he will visit the following during the 2024 college football season:
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September 7 – Nebraska (vs. Colorado)
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September 21 – Mizzou (vs. Vanderbilt)
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October 5 – Georgia (vs. Auburn)
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October 26 – Alabama (vs. Mizzou)
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Nov. 9 – LSU (vs. Alabama)
Nixa High School College Football Recruits
Nixa is expected to be one of the top teams in the state heading into the 2024 season. It boasts a handful of college prospects, including two potential Division I recruits.
Adam McKnight, Class of 2027 quarterback
McKnight didn’t start as a freshman because Nixa had two senior quarterbacks who led the team a year ago. McKnight is considered a top 10 baseball player in his class at Missouri. There is a lot of hype surrounding him and his ability on the football field as a 6-foot-4, 190-pounder.
Hayden Mays, Class of 2026 offensive lineman
Opposing Cantwell will be Mays, a 6-foot-5, 285-pounder. Nixa head coach John Perry said he believes Mays will develop into a Division I player. Mays is a big, strong prospect who would be the top shot putter in the state if Cantwell wasn’t aiming for a possible Olympic appearance.
Mays has received interest from Division I teams in recent weeks and took an unofficial visit to Mizzou.
This article originally appeared on the Springfield News-Leader: Watch 5-star OL Jackson Cantwell live on YouTube