There is too much on Sherrone Moore and the Michigan Wolverines’ plate. They have come up with two back-to-back wins; however, they have yet to see a silver lining in their playoff chances. As they wade through choppy waters, they do not ignore their recruiting opportunities. It’s too risky for Moore to leave things on autopilot mode. And the urgency just got 10x more. The reason? Big 12 powerhouse just had a costly loss, losing their 2026 commit, who happens to be on Moore and Co.’s hot list. 

As per On3’s 2026 Industry Ranking Football Team Recruiting Rankings, the Kansas Jayhawks rank at No.45 with 19 recruits. On October 27, they witnessed another heartbreak as their 4-star Manhattan (Kan.) safety James ‘JJ’ Dunnigan had hit the ‘decommit’ button. He tweeted, “After much prayer and thoughtful conversations with my family, I’ve decided to decommit from the University of Kansas.”

The 6’2″, 190-pound safety continued, “I’m truly grateful for everything the coaches and staff have done for me and for the way they’ve treated me throughout this process. This was not an easy decision, but I believe it’s the best one for me and my future.” It has been nine months since he committed to the Jayhawks in January. But what made Moore’s target change his plans out of the blue?

After all, he chose to be part of the Jayhawks program over offers from Missouri, Illinois, Utah, Nebraska, and a handful of others. Dunnigan’s decision comes just days after Lance Leipold’s program took a 42–17 beating from rival Kansas State, a loss that dropped the Jayhawks to an even 4-4 on the season. 

Even after his commitment, programs did not stop swarming around the recruit. In spring, offers dropped in from Ole Miss, Oregon, Miami, Tennessee, Michigan, among others. Then, Georgia Tech and Colorado jumped into the race this spring. But what makes Dunnigan a hot target? 

On both sides of the ball, he made his presence felt. The junior piled up 65 tackles, six pass breakups, and three interceptions, while hauling in 28 passes for 556 yards and five touchdowns, plus three more trips to the end zone on returns. Nonetheless, his decommitment from Kansas will profoundly affect the Jayhawks.

According to recruiting outlet 247Sports, Dunnigan was ranked the third-best prospect to commit to the Jayhawks. Meanwhile, how does Michigan come into the Dunnigan conversation, now that he has hit the exit door?

Top prospect leaves Wolverines in limbo

According to On3’s data, Moore’s Michigan stands at No. 10 with 22 recruits. They already have two 5-stars, eleven 4-stars, and nine 3-stars. However, Dunnigan seems to have been on the Wolverines’ radar for quite some time now. Moore’s squad’s luck did not favor them as they chased No. 4-ranked safety out of Texas, Chace Calicut, who committed to Georgia.

On October 27, after resharing Dunnigan’s decommitment tweet, Ethan McDowell tweeted, “Michigan has been in contact here previously. James Dunnigan Jr. is the No. 136 recruit in the country.” On July 7, EJ Holland tweeted, “A new flip target emerging? Michigan is closely monitoring an On300 DB committed elsewhere.”

However, Dunnigan turned out to be a tough nut to crack. As he held an offer from the Kansas State Wildcats, it was believed that he would hitch his wagon to Chris Klieman’s squad. That’s because Dunnigan’s father played in Manhattan as a Wildcat. But he pulled off a surprise and went for the Jayhawks. However, there remains a factor that allows Moore to hope against hope. 

Dunnigan hails from Manhattan, Kansas. Since the Michigan head coach, Sherrone Moore, also grew up in Kansas, it might help him to develop a soft corner in the recruit’s heart. Meanwhile, the Wolverines have unfinished business with the Baylor commit, Jamarion Vincent.

As EJ Holland tweeted, “There are some things working in Michigan’s favor,” he said. “One, the Wolverines are willing to spend on NIL for a top cornerback. So, thinking about Michigan versus Baylor on the NIL side, I’d give the advantage to Michigan for sure.” The question now is, can Michigan play the NIL cards right to bring James Dunnigan into their fold?