The Miami Hurricanes’ offensive line is still taking shape in fall camp, and the freshman drawing the loudest buzz is Jackson Cantwell.
The five-star newcomer out of Nixa High School arrived in Coral Gables at 6-8 and 330 pounds, already carrying the kind of reputation that turns heads. In high school, he piled up 459 pancake blocks in 45 games over four years. Now the job is bigger, the bodies are better, and Miami is asking him to handle more than one spot as Mario Cristobal and Alex Mirabal sort through a reshuffled front.
Cantwell has already spent some of the first week of camp at right guard, a sign of how much Miami is willing to move pieces around while the staff searches for the right five. But that doesn’t mean the freshman is being viewed as an interior player for the long haul. With four starters gone from last season, the Hurricanes are still experimenting, and that means Cantwell’s role is part evaluation, part puzzle.
The more natural fit still appears to be tackle, where he’s projected to start on the left side and protect quarterback Darian Mensah’s blindside. That assignment comes with pressure, but Cantwell has the size to handle it and, just as important, the willingness to be coached. He’s been open to direction from Mirabal, Matthew McCoy, Ryan Rodriguez, and Samson Okunlola, all while trying to sharpen his game during a crucial stretch of camp.
Miami is putting him against quality competition every day. With Akheem Mesidor and All-American Rueben Bain Jr. no longer in the program, the reps have come against Marquise Lightfoot, Damon Wilson II, Ahmad Moten Sr., Justin Scott, and Armondo Blount, among others. That kind of work is designed to stress-test a freshman and show what he can handle if he’s asked to block from anywhere on the line.
Cristobal has made it clear he isn’t afraid to lean on young players. Last season, wide receiver Malachi Toney burst onto the scene for Miami.
Cantwell’s path is different, and the work in the trenches won’t grab the same headlines as a deep touchdown catch, but the Hurricanes know it matters just as much. If he keeps developing, his impact could stretch beyond this season.
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