Top Kansas Football Recruit Reaffirms Commitment to Jayhawks

One of the top-ranked high school football prospects committed to KU has been a hot topic of conversation ever since he first pledged his talents to the Jayhawks back in January of this year.

James "JJ" Dunnigan Jr., a four-star safety ranked as the No. 2 player in Kansas and No. 241 player in the country (according to Rivals), is currently the highest rated player in KU’s 14-member class and one of the most talented recruits KU has been able to secure a commitment from in recent years.

Dunnigan committed to the Jayhawks while playing at the Under Armour Next All-America Game in Florida. The decision was a welcome one for the Kansas coaches and Jayhawk fans alike, but it was a point of contention for many Kansas State fans.

Dunnigan plays high school ball in Manhattan, Kansas, at Manhattan High, and his dad JJ Dunnigan Sr. played at KSU. He has visited K-State’s campus multiple times over the past two years, and the Wildcats were certainly one of the favorites to land him – if not the favorite.

After Kansas head coach Lance Leipold and his staff were able to pull off the heist, many believed it was just a matter of time before he changed his mind and decommitted.

But Dunnigan appears to put those thoughts to rest after shutting down his recruitment this week.

Securing his commitment through signing day was one of the most important things the KU staff needed to do this offseason, and it appears they’ve done it.

Born and raised, Here to stay.
Recruitment shutdown. #kansas pic.twitter.com/HgUf6NlQl1
— James (JJ) Dunnigan jr (@jj_dunniganjr) May 16, 2025