Elite 5-star recruit makes definitive statement about Alabama's future under Kaleb DeBoer and not Nick Saban
The Alabama Crimson Tide are actively pursuing top talent for the 2026 recruiting class, continuing their strong performance with the 2025 group. Among the elite prospects is five-star offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell, who is considered a standout in the 2026 class. He is ranked as the No. 3 overall player nationally by 247Sports and holds […]
The Alabama Crimson Tide are actively pursuing top talent for the 2026 recruiting class, continuing their strong performance with the 2025 group.
Among the elite prospects is five-star offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell, who is considered a standout in the 2026 class. He is ranked as the No. 3 overall player nationally by 247Sports and holds the prestigious title of the top player at his position.
At 6 feet 7 inches and 300 pounds, Cantwell has received offers from numerous schools nationwide, giving him the opportunity to choose his preferred destination. Alabama and Georgia have made significant progress in recruiting the Missouri native, and Cantwell's comments about the differences between Kaleb DeBoer and Nick Saban are promising for Alabama's prospects.
During the Under Armor All-America Game’s Media Day, Cantwell expressed his admiration for Alabama and shared his trust in Kalen DeBoer.
“They are a very good football team,” Cantwell said. “There’s some question about if they could have made it in the playoffs or not, and with one game going right for them, they probably would have made it in with a pretty high seed. They’re a team that’s been a blue blood for a while now. I think Kalen Deboer does a fantastic job. I think he gets over-criticized a bunch because he’s not Nick Saban, but you don’t have to be Nick Saban to be a great football coach. He is a proven winner. He’s won everywhere he’s been. He’s won at D3. He’s one at D1 FCS. He’s won at Power Five. He’s the guy that we’ll go out there and win football games.”
Alabama's offensive line coach Chris Kapilovic is instrumental in the Tide's efforts to secure Cantwell. The two share several connections.
“We had some ties from Michigan State, but I just didn’t talk to them as much, but when he got to Bama, we already had that connection, so it helped out a lot,” said Cantwell. “He went to Missouri State, 20 minutes for me, so he knows my area really well. It’s kind of cool to get to share that.”
Cantwell last visited Alabama during the 2024 season when the Tide faced Missouri, and he left with a positive impression of their standing in his recruitment.
“Bama is a great program with a great atmosphere that can win any given Saturday and has a great coaching staff that can develop,” Cantwell said.
He is seeking a program that will enhance his skills as a player, as well as provide a remarkable college experience outside of athletics. Cantwell values being surrounded by like-minded teammates and desires to connect with a coaching staff that he can trust.
He is particularly focused on building rapport with the offensive line and strength coaching teams, and he hopes to find an effective leader in the head coach.
“You want a guy that can build a culture. a good dude you can go talk to about stuff, and you can understand his vision for the program and know they’ll be successful by what he’s doing.”
