Wisconsin football flips 2026 CB Donovan Dunmore from Oregon State
Wisconsin football flips 2026 recruit Donovan Dunmore from Oregon State after an official visit, landing a speedy CB to bolster its secondary.
Luke Fickell and the Wisconsin football program pulled off a much-needed recruiting win in the 2026 class. After making the trip to Madison for an official visit, cornerback Donovan Dunmore announced that he was flipping his commitment from Oregon State to the Badgers.
The 6-foot, 185-pound defensive back from California committed to the Beavers during the summer, but after putting out some impressive senior season film, his recruitment took off, and other programs began to circle. Wisconsin's staff stayed steady in its pursuit, hosted Dunmore and his family for an official visit, and came away with his verbal commitment.
"I want to thank Oregon State University for recruiting me and having the interest and belief in me to help their program, but after much thought and many conversations with my family, I will be flipping my commitment to the University of Wisconsin," Dunmore wrote.
The decision didn’t come in a vacuum. His official visit to campus gave him a full picture of what life at Wisconsin could look like, both on and off the field. The day started with breakfast alongside the coaching staff, followed by a glimpse of the “Arch March.” From there, Dunmore spent time with academic support staff and student services, took in the game, and then capped the evening with more sit-down conversations and dinner at the hotel.
The visit highlighted every part of the program, and it played a major role in making Wisconsin feel like the right fit.
Dunmore chose Wisconsin over a list of scholarship offers that included programs such as San Diego State, Boise State, Arizona, Colorado State, Fresno State, Kansas State, and UNLV, among others.
According to the industry-generated composite rankings, Dunmore is rated as the No. 838 overall prospect in the 2026 class, the No. 68 cornerback nationally, and the No. 66 player in the state of California.
This one matters for a lot of reasons.
Dunmore isn’t just another corner to round out a class. He’s a legit two-sport standout, one of the fastest sprinters in California with a verified 10.56 in the 100 meters, and his athletic profile is precisely what the Wisconsin Badgers need to have on the back end of the defense.
The length, speed, and fluidity are all there, and he’s not afraid to finish plays in the open field. His ability to play different coverages stands out, and with a 35-inch vertical and 4.48 speed, the ceiling is obvious.
"I feel like not many defensive backs have the speed, size, and strength that I do," Dunmore told Badgernotes. "My school runs all coverages from 0-6, which I realized many other high schools don't do."
Wisconsin’s staff has put a heavy emphasis on athletic upside in the secondary, and Dunmore fits the mold. He prides himself on being able to hold up in man coverage, play through contact, and still carry the speed to track receivers downfield. As a junior at Buchanan High School, Dunmore piled up 60 tackles, five interceptions, and even scored on a pick-six. That production, paired with his track times, made him one of the more intriguing senior-evaluation prospects on the West Coast.
Recruiting-wise, Wisconsin’s consistency won out. Oregon State pulled him in early, but cornerbacks coach Paul Haynes and director of recruiting Pat Lambert kept at it. Lambert in particular made this one personal, building a near-daily relationship that helped tilt things Wisconsin’s way.
High school scouting coordinator Grant Anderson and recruiting assistant Izayah Green-May also ensured Dunmore knew he was a priority target.
From Dunmore’s perspective, the fit has been there for a while.
"The coaching staff seems great," Dunmore said. "But I'm also interested because they play really good competition. I think it's the people, too. Pat [Lambert] and I text every day about everything, and I’ve talked to most of the coaches who FaceTime me instead of just a call, which is different."
Wisconsin fans played their role, too. Even while the Badgers were struggling mightily on the field during his visit, Dunmore came away impressed with the atmosphere and the level of investment from the fan base. That sense of investment mattered in a recruitment that saw a few other programs, including Arizona and Kansas State, hovering around.
This flip also addresses one of Wisconsin’s biggest long-term needs.
With multiple veteran corners expected to move on at the end of the season, the Badgers needed another high-upside player to pair with Omillio Agard and the trio of Jahmare Washington, Cairo Skanes, and Jai’mier Scott from the 2025 class to build around. Dunmore now joins fellow corner Carsen Eloms in the 2026 class, giving the staff a strong developmental foundation at a spot where talent is tough to stockpile.
Cornerback is a position where you can often acquire an instant impact guy in the transfer portal, which gives the staff more freedom to be selective with high school prospects. But when you find the size-speed combo you believe in, it's worth developing them for the future.
Dunmore is now the 15th known verbal commitment in Wisconsin’s 2026 class. He joins a class featuring quarterback Ryan Hopkins, offensive linemen Benjamin Novak and Maddox Cochrane, running back Amari Latimer, wide receivers Jayden Petit, Tayshon Bardo, and Zion Legree, plus tight ends Jack Sievers and Jack Janda. On defense, they also hold commitments from Eloms, linebackers Aden Reeder and Ben Wenzel, as well as defensive linemen Djidjou Bah and Arthur Scott.
His addition also strengthens Wisconsin’s reach into California, a state the staff has worked purposefully to reestablish ties with.
Bottom line: Wisconsin entered this one knowing they needed to be patient, stay persistent, and do things the right way to put themselves in a position to recruit a high-upside athlete from Pac-12 country. Dunmore has the speed and size you bet on in the Big Ten, and the staff sees him as more than a depth piece; they see a future contributor with traits you can’t coach.
For a program that’s looking to rebuild its roster and culture under Luke Fickell, this is the kind of recruiting battle you want to win.
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Hopefully he didnt watch any of Saturday's game