“This is kind of the calm before the storm": Nation's No. 1 recruit excited for upcoming visit to Sherrone Moore's Michigan

Michigan secured three five-star prospects in the 2025 class, and for the 2026 class, Sherrone Moore has set sight on another five-star prospect in offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell.

Talking with On3's Chad Simmons, the nation's top recruit shared what he hopes to gain from his upcoming visits to the Wolverines, alongside Miami and Ohio State.

“This is kind of the calm before the storm," Cantwell said.

Cantwell has offers from nearly every top program but has narrowed his choices to six schools: Georgia, Miami (Florida), Michigan, Ohio State, Missouri and Oregon. He has already visited all six and scheduled official visits as he works toward a final decision.

"Whenever I figured out what schools I wanted to potentially make an official visit, I sat down and was like, 'what distinguishes these?' And if I couldn't think of anything, I was like, 'well, I'm probably not going to go there.' I had to just think about all of the schools that I could see myself going. If not, there was no reason to make an official visit," Cantwell told Springfield News-Leader.

It’s too early to name a clear frontrunner in Cantwell's recruitment, but Rivals projects him to land at Oregon. However, high-profile recruitments like his sometimes take unexpected turns.

Michigan has already proved its caliber by landing the nation's No. 1 prospect in the 2025 class in five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood. If Moore and his coaching staff can show another flash by securing Cantwell, it will shape their roster for years to come.

Jackson Cantwell raves about Michigan's success in developing offensive prospects

Michigan has built a strong reputation as a national powerhouse in developing offensive linemen, and it is one of the many reasons blue-chip offensive prospects like Jackson Cantwell are drawn to the Wolverines.

"I feel like they're the program I end up talking about the least, but I kind of like them a lot," Cantwell told Springfield News-Leader. "I think the reason I like them so much is that they're always producing offensive linemen. They do a good job with that."

Sherrone Moore, who previously served as Michigan's co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach, has now taken over as head coach, which also adds to the program's appeal for Cantwell. He also values the work of other offensive coaches.

"I think Grant Newsome, the offensive line coach, does a fantastic job," the recruit added. "I like a lot of the stuff around Ann Arbor. They have pretty good academics. I think there's a lot to like about it."

Michigan has three committed players in the 2026 class, including two offensive prospects.