Kirby Smart gives honest thoughts on the current NIL landscape after losing Jackson Cantwell to Miami

The recruiting world comes with its ebbs and flows, and Georgia suffered a big blow on Tuesday. It lost talented five-star-plus prospect Jackson Cantwell to Miami after many had penciled him in as a Georgia pickup.

Playing at a golf tournament in Hoover, Ala., on Wednesday, Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart gave a short response when asked generally about the state of recruiting these days. It’s clear he’s not a fan of all aspects of the current system.

“A lot of misleading information out there,” Smart said, according to a report from CBS Sports. “Nobody really knows what’s accurate. A lot of schools are approaching it in different ways. We hear something different from every school. So I don’t think anybody really knows.”

The NIL landscape has certainly made things more challenging for coaches. Without a well-regulated system, it’s often word of mouth in trying to determine who has what legitimate offers from whom.

And that can often be the difference between landing a recruit or not. Schools have to budget their resources appropriately — working with NIL collectives and the like — to make sure every mouth gets fed.

Don’t offer enough, and recruits have their options elsewhere. Offer too much and you might run into problems in-house.

But one thing is clear: Jackson Cantwell was a big miss for the Georgia program. He’s currently rated as the No. 1 overall player in the country in the On3 Industry Rankings, a five-star prospect with obvious potential NFL upside.

What is Miami getting in Jackson Cantwell?

“Jackson Cantwell has been one of the top physical talents in the 2026 cycle from the outset. At over 6-foot-7 and around 315 pounds, Cantwell has a large frame and holds his weight exceptionally well,” On3 Director of Scouting Charles Power writes. “The frame is well-proportioned with a lean lower body, solid weight distribution, and big hands. He is a highly explosive, powerful athlete with outstanding functional movement skills on the football field.”

“The elite strength and explosion also show up in track and field, where he doubles as a national standout thrower in the shot put and discus. The son of two Olympian throwers, Cantwell broke the sophomore national record in the shot put last spring with a preposterous 74-9.75 foot throw.”

“While there are signs of untapped upside, Jackson Cantwell is one of the cleanest, safest prospects in the 2026 cycle. If things go to plan, he should be on track to follow Sewell and Mauigoa as a three-and-out impact offensive tackle.”