The KU football staff received some good news to start off the new year as one of the top local prospects in the 2026 class committed to play for Lance Leipold and the Kansas Jayhawks.
Safety JJ Dunnigan out of Manhattan, Kansas, picked the Jayhawks before playing in the Under Armour All-American Game on Thursday. The 6-foot-3 star defender from Manhattan High picked KU over offers from K-State, Nebraska, Stanford, and others.
Dunnigan is rated as a three-star prospect (according to Rivals) and the No. 4-ranked player in the state of Kansas. His commitment brings the 2026 Kansas recruiting class to three and No. 31 in the country.
KU reportedly wants Dunnigan to play on both sides of the football – which played a big role in his decision.
The commitment is a big win for Leipold and the Kansas coaching staff for many reasons.
For starters, it’s a sign that KU is prioritizing in-state recruiting and keeping the best local talent in Kansas. Secondly, landing a player in KSU’s backyard – whose father played at KSU – is a sign that KU’s NIL support is competitive and the program’s recruiting strength as a whole is growing.
Maintaining Dunnigan’s commitment through signing day in December 2025 will be the challenge going forward, as it is with all recruits who commit months in advance, but this is a great early win for the future of the KU football program.
WATCH: 2026 standout from Manhattan, JJ Dunnigan Jr. announces his commitment to Kansas. #kufball pic.twitter.com/eSUU1Ovzr7
— JayhawkSlant (@JayhawkSlant) January 2, 2025