Ugly Chants Breakout as Badgers Drop B1G Opener to Maryland - Sep 20, 2025; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell walks onto the field prior to the game against the Maryland Terrapins at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Badgers’ Staff Completes Flip of Strong Former 2026 Oregon State Commitment

Originally posted on WI Sports Heroics
By Jarrett Guerrera | Last updated Sep 22, 2025 2:48 PM ET

The Wisconsin Badgers may have some struggles that are present on the field, but off the field the staff continues to secure recruiting wins.

2026 three-star cornerback Donovan Dunmore, an Oregon State commitment, had been closely tied to Wisconsin for the past two months before officially setting up a game-day visit for the stripe-out against Maryland. Dunmore landed on campus and left the experience impressed with the staff and how the environment made the cornerback feel wanted despite the loss on the field.

Previously, Dunmore committed to Oregon State for a variety of reasons, but one of the most important involved the family-like feel the program provided the cornerback. Dunmore felt at home with the Beavers between the scholarship offer, the willingness to get a visit done, and how the staff saw the cornerback fitting into the future. Now, however, the Badgers are the program who managed to do so with persistence after maintaining very close contact with the recruit.

Wisconsin Badgers Flip Donovan Dunmore Away From Oregon State Following Official Visit

Dunmore joins the 2026 Wisconsin class at a perfect time after former three-star safety commitment Zachary Taylor flipped his commitment to TCU months ago. Since the flip, Wisconsin has been on the hunt for a replacement and after discovering Dunmore, the Badgers realized another scheme fit like the California native will not be found.

Dunmore is 6-feet tall, and roughly 185-pounds with a great burst of speed and a surprisingly physical play style on the field. The cornerback does not back down from fights against receivers and consistently manages to make mid-air plays thanks to his extreme concentration.

Badgers' Staff Completes Flip of Strong Former 2026 Oregon State Commitment 2 Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell watches a drill during fall training camp at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison on Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023. – Mike De Sisti / The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

In addition to being a quick and physical cornerback, Dunmore also possesses great field vision and a developing feel for his position on the field. Dunmore often reacts well and manages to put himself into a position to make a play or prevent the play from developing into something greater. The defensive back is still learning and can be caught out of position at times, but given his current skills Dunmore has the potential to be a tough defensive back to compete against.

The best aspect of play for Dunmore is easily his tackling abilities which are often put to the test against his opponents. Dunmore is a strong, capable tackler who can work through blockers to make a stop in the run game when needed, especially when being blocked by opposing receivers. In the open field, escaping Dunmore is difficult considering his speed, vision, and ability to wrap-up when tackling.

The talented defensive back is not someone who is expected to make an impact right away, but with a year of technical development at the position, Dunmore could certainly find his ways onto the collegiate field in an impactful way.

Badgers Need to Evaluate Depth at Center Following Tough #19 Alabama Loss 2 Sep 6, 2025; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell talks with his team during a timeout against the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders during the second half at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kayla Wolf-Imagn Images

This article first appeared on WI Sports Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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