Any Kansas fans who were concerned about potentially losing marquee 2026 recruit JJ Dunnigan can breathe sighs of relief, as the four-star defensive back from Manhattan announced on Friday morning that he is shutting down his recruitment.
In the months since he committed to KU on Jan. 2 at the Under Armour Next All-America Game in DeLand, Florida, Dunnigan had received additional offers from a variety of nationally prominent programs attempting to lure him away from the Jayhawks. Those included Florida, Miami, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Oregon and Tennessee.
In the meantime, he visited KU during spring practice and is set to return to the school an additional time in June as the Jayhawks attempt to lock down the final players in their recruiting class.
Dunnigan is the highest-rated member of that currently top-10-ranked class, at the forefront of the seven-player in-state contingent among the 15 overall commitments. That also includes Josh Galbreath (Lawrence), Hunter Higgins (Maize South), Jaylen Mason (Wichita Northwest), Tyren Parker (Shawnee Heights), Nate Sims (Ottawa) and Kaden Snyder (Salina Central).
Dunnigan told Jon Kirby of JayhawkSlant.com in February that he had been trying to play his own role in helping add to the class.
“I actively reach out to multiple big recruits that have Kansas in their top schools,” he told Kirby. “Many of the recruits I have reached out to have committed since then.”
Dunnigan originally committed to KU over his hometown school Kansas State (where his father, James Dunnigan, played), Nebraska and Stanford. He is listed at 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds and has previously said he expects KU to let him play both sides of the ball.
KU has also offered Dunnigan’s younger brother Adonis, who is an incoming high school freshman.
