ESPN analyst Billy Tucker published an article naming the top 25 freshmen of the season so far, ranking Miami Hurricanes defensive back JJ Dunnigan at No. 13.
Tucker has Dunnigan sitting behind USC wide receiver Trent Mosley and Vanderbilt quarterback Jared Curtis. Oregon State wide receiver Jesse Legree headlines the list with LSU defensive tackle Deuce Geralds coming in at No. 2 on the list.
After injuries harmed Miami's secondary, Dunnigan stepped up big time, becoming a major force for the Hurricanes' defense, recording a total of 17 tackles and a fourth-quarter pick-six against the Clemson Tigers. According to Pro Football Focus, Dunnigan was the highest-graded true freshman from last week with a 84.1 grade.
If you've been on here a while, you would know this praise doesn't come as a surprise. Many coaches and players, including defensive backs Zechariah Poyser and Bryce Fitzgerald, were really high on Dunnigan in the spring and fall, stating he is going to shake stuff up this season.
And they were not wrong.
Check out what ESPN had to say about Dunnigan:
Dunnigan is tied for fourth among Miami defenders with 17 tackles through Week 5 and hasn't been shy about playing downhill from the secondary. He gets to the alley and closes quickly against the run, and has also flashed as a blitzer, recording three quarterback hurries through four games. His pick-six put the exclamation point on a win over Clemson, and Dunnigan looks mature beyond his years thanks to his physicality and instincts.
Tucker has Dunnigan sitting behind USC wide receiver Trent Mosley and Vanderbilt quarterback Jared Curtis. Oregon State wide receiver Jesse Legree headlines the list with LSU defensive tackle Deuce Geralds coming in at No. 2 on the list.
After injuries harmed Miami's secondary, Dunnigan stepped up big time, becoming a major force for the Hurricanes' defense, recording a total of 17 tackles and a fourth-quarter pick-six against the Clemson Tigers. According to Pro Football Focus, Dunnigan was the highest-graded true freshman from last week with a 84.1 grade.
If you've been on here a while, you would know this praise doesn't come as a surprise. Many coaches and players, including defensive backs Zechariah Poyser and Bryce Fitzgerald, were really high on Dunnigan in the spring and fall, stating he is going to shake stuff up this season.
And they were not wrong.
Check out what ESPN had to say about Dunnigan:
Dunnigan is tied for fourth among Miami defenders with 17 tackles through Week 5 and hasn't been shy about playing downhill from the secondary. He gets to the alley and closes quickly against the run, and has also flashed as a blitzer, recording three quarterback hurries through four games. His pick-six put the exclamation point on a win over Clemson, and Dunnigan looks mature beyond his years thanks to his physicality and instincts.
