The #1 recruit in America, offensive lineman Jackson Cantwell, has been a top target for Michigan football for a while now. Things appeared to be trending well for the Wolverines following his unofficial visit to Ann Arbor. Now, however, it appears that momentum has faded.
Cantwell posted on X, saying "Might be closer to the end than I thought I was", sparking plenty of conversation about where he could commit. Recently, Georgia, Oregon, and Miami have been trending for the top prospect.
Might be closer to the end than I thought I was…#NSGB https://t.co/0DFQi6hYCt
— Jackson Cantwell (@jcantwell2499) April 10, 2025
This one has long been considered a bidding war, and obviously, Michigan football cannot be counted out of those. However, the Wolverines are facing some current issues in terms of NIL; the Wolverines have been reluctant when it comes to sharing specific NIL details with recruits while awaiting the passing of the House bill surrounding revenue sharing.
Along with this, there seems to be lots of smoke surrounding Michigan's GM Sean Magee and the open AD position at his alma mater, Navy. Magee has been crucial to Michigan's NIL transformation, and losing him would be a huge blow and would create plenty of questions surrounding NIL in Ann Arbor.
At this point, it's uncertain whether or not Cantwell will take his June 13th official visit to Ann Arbor. Given his tweet, I'd say that he'll likely commit before the visit, putting it into jeopardy.
There is one thing that can save the Wolverines here, and that's if the big NIL powers get active here. The question is, will they? After landing an elite offensive line class in 2025, does Michigan football need to spend big at the position? It'll be interesting to see when and where Michigan chooses to allocate its NIL funds. Stay tuned for any recruiting updates.