Miami added a blue-chip piece to its 2026 secondary on Sunday night, landing Manhattan (Kan.) safety James "JJ" Dunnigan and nudging the Hurricanes' class back into the national top 10. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound defender announced his pledge Nov. 9 over Colorado and others after recently backing off a long-time commitment to Kansas.
BREAKING: Four-Star Safety JJ Dunnigan has Committed to Miami, he tells me for @rivals⁰⁰The 6’2 200 S from Manhattan, KS was previously Committed to Kansas⁰⁰“All glory to God… Go Canes 🙌🏽”⁰⁰https://t.co/i29GOqMXDK pic.twitter.com/WEtU6mxYEo
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) November 9, 2025
Dunnigan had been committed to the Jayhawks since Jan. 2 before decommitting Oct. 27. In the interim he set official visits to Colorado for Oct. 31 and Miami for Nov. 15, then chose to shut things down early with Mario Cristobal's staff. Dunnigan is a Kansas State legacy, which adds another layer to an in-state recruitment that flipped late in the fall.
On3's Rivals Industry Ranking lists Dunnigan as the No. 136 overall prospect in 2026, the No. 14 safety nationally and the No. 2 player in Kansas. 247Sports places him No. 152 overall and the No. 18 cornerback in the 247Sports Composite.
As a junior, Dunnigan totaled 65 tackles, six pass breakups and three interceptions on defense, added 28 receptions for 556 yards and five touchdowns on offense, and scored three times on returns. He also participated in the Under Armour All-America Game.
From a class-building standpoint, the commitment is timely. Miami now sits No. 10 nationally and No. 1 in the ACC for the 2026 cycle in the On3 Industry team rankings, with a bulk of blue-chip defenders headlining a class designed to replenish the back seven. Dunnigan's commitment gives the Hurricanes 26 verbal commitments in the cycle and this is going to be one of the better classes in recent memory for the Canes. The emphasis on the DB room has been notable.
2026 Miami DB Commits
- JJ Dunnigan (S)
- Jaelen Waters (CB)
- Camdin Portis (CB)
- Cortez Redding (S)
- Jontavius Wyman (CB)
- Brody Jennings (CB)