A prized freshman safety is already impressing coaches with his pro-level maturity and relentless work ethic during the Miami Hurricanes' spring training sessions.
The Miami Hurricanes aren’t afraid to play freshmen, receiving numerous contributions last season from running back Girard Pringle Jr., safety Bryce Fitzgerald, and star wide receiver Malachi Toney, along with others. As each of them returns for the upcoming season, they will take on leadership roles for the new undergrads joining the program, including defensive back James “JJ” Dunnigan Jr.
The Kansas native was a four-star recruit from Manhattan High School. He recorded 151 total tackles, 69 solos and 82 assists, eight tackles for loss, a sack, and four interceptions, including a pick-six as a junior.
Dunnigan Jr. was ranked 114th nationally, 10th among safeties, and second in the state of Kansas for the recruiting class of 2026, according to Rivals Industry Rankings. He received interest and offers from numerous programs, including the Florida Gators, Kansas State Wildcats, Kansas Jayhawks, Ole Miss Rebels, Utah Utes, Minnesota Golden Gophers, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Wisconsin Badgers, Oklahoma Sooners, and Arizona State Sun Devils, along with others.
The highly-touted prospect originally committed to the Jayhawks before flipping to the Hurricanes on Nov. 9, 2025. Despite being primarily regarded as a safety, there’s still the possibility of him moving to cornerback.
As spring training continues to unravel, coach Mario Cristobal discussed Dunnigan Jr.’s progression:
“JJ Dunnigan shows maturity on and off the field in everything he does,” he said. “He approaches it like a pro at a very young age. Those guys are rare. Malachi Toney is all about that kind of stuff. That’s what JJ does, and the thing is, JJ lives in the weight room. He’s relentless about the development of his body, mind, film sessions; he practices in a manner where every rep is full speed. There’s no throttle on him. He doesn’t gear down for anybody.”
The Hurricanes retained core pieces in the secondary, such as Damari Brown, Xavier Lucas, Zachariah Poyser, Ethan O’Connor, Romanas “OJ” Frederique, and Fitzgerald. They added a couple of defensive backs through the transfer portal in Omar Thornton and Conrad Hussey.
Regardless of the revamped roster, Dunnigan Jr. has an opportunity to earn a rotation role.
The Hurricanes have a couple of voids to fill after the departures of cornerback Keionte Scott and safety Jakobe Thomas, both of whom were valuable leaders for the secondary and declared for the upcoming NFL Draft.
Coming off a National Championship appearance, the program seeks to remain competitive. They established a new winning standard, which Dunnigan Jr. will have to meet to carve out consistent playing time. Spring training appears to be going in his favor, but there are still a few months before the regular season kicks off.
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