A day after beating Syracuse and keeping their playoff hopes going, the Hurricanes got more good news.
Four-star 2026 defensive back JJ Dunnigan committed to Miami on Sunday evening, announcing his decision on social media. Dunnigan chose the Hurricanes over offers from Colorado, Kansas, Ole Miss and Oregon, among others.
“All glory to God for blessing me with the strength and guidance to reach this point,” Dunnigan wrote on social media. “Thank you to my family for sticking by my side, and thank you to the coaches that believed in me. With that being said, I’m committed to the University of Miami.”
Dunnigan, a standout at Manhattan High in Kansas, was previously committed to the Jayhawks, but he backed off that decision in October.
Dunnigan, who is 6-3 and about 200 pounds, is listed as the No. 18 cornerback and No. 152 player in the class in 247Sports’ composite rankings. Although Dunnigan is listed as a cornerback, UM plans to play him at safety, a Miami source said.
Dunnigan, an Under Armour All-American, helped his team reach the state title game last year. Playing both offense and defense, he had 65 tackles, three tackles for loss, six pass breakups, two forced fumbles and three interceptions. On offense, he had 28 receptions for 556 yards and five touchdowns. Dunnigan also had three special-teams touchdowns, and he was picked as the state’s Class 6A Defensive Player of the Year by Sports in Kansas.
This season, Dunnigan has 29 tackles, four tackles for loss and a sack. On offense, he has 10 catches for 237 yards and five touchdowns.
The Hurricanes staff has a high opinion of Dunnigan, who is the sixth defensive back in the class (and second safety, along with four-star Cortez Redding), a UM source said. The UM coaches like his football IQ, his ability to make hard contact with ballcarriers and his size.
Miami’s class is ranked 11th in the nation and first in the ACC.