Watch 5-star football prospect Jackson Cantwell live: Nixa vs. Republic

Nixa High School will host Republic to kick off the 2024 high school football season in a battle of last year's Central Ozark Conference champion and the Class 5 state runner-up. Eagles five-star junior offensive lineman Jackson Cantwell will be the main event as the No. 2 overall player in the country.

Cantwell, the son of Olympians Christian Cantwell and Teri (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 at some point late next summer or in the early fall of 2025.

Who is Jackson Cantwell?

Nixa High School

Class: 2027

Vitals: 6-8, 300 lbs.

Position: Offensive tackle

College commitment: None

Bio: Cantwell is the top-rated offensive lineman in the 2027 class and is being pursued by the top college programs in the country. He's also a national champion in the shot put and the son of Olympians Christian Cantwell and Teri (Steer) Cantwell.

Jackson Cantwell 247 ranking

Composite five-star on 247Sports Composite. Ranked as the No. 1 offensive lineman in the 2027 class and No. 2 overall player in the nation.

Watch Jackson Cantwell live against Republic

High school football fans around the nation can watch Cantwell lead Nixa against Republic, a Missouri Class 5 state runner-up a season ago, on YouTube live and on-demand.

Jackson Cantwell offers

Cantwell recently named his top 14 schools.

• LSU
• Michigan
• Ohio State
• Florida
• Nebraska
• Mizzou
• Miami (Florida)
• Alabama
• Texas A&M
• USC
• Georgia
• Oregon
• Arkansas
• Ole Miss

After Cantwell announced his final 14, he received offers from UCLA and Stanford.

Jackson Cantwell scheduled game-day visits

Cantwell announced he will visit the following during the 2024 college football season:

• Sept. 7 - Nebraska (vs. Colorado)
• Sept. 21 - Mizzou (vs. Vanderbilt)
• Oct. 5 - Georgia (vs. Auburn)
• Oct. 26 - Alabama (vs. Mizzou)
• Nov. 9 - LSU (vs. Alabama)

Nixa High School college football recruits

Nixa is expected to be one of the top teams in the state during the 2024 season. It boasts a handful of college prospects, including a pair of potential Division I recruits who will get their first starts on Friday night.

Adam McKnight, Class of 2027 quarterback

McKnight didn't start as a freshman because Nixa had two senior quarterbacks leading the team a year ago. McKnight is considered a top 10 baseball player in his class in Missouri. There is a lot of hype around him and his ability on the football field as a 6-foot-4, 190-pounder.

Hayden Mays, Class of 2026 offensive lineman

Opposite 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 put thrower in the state if Cantwell wasn't trending toward a possible Olympic appearance.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Watch 5-star football prospect Jackson Cantwell live: Nixa vs. Republic