JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

by suit

HTML

<table border="1" rules="group">
    <thead>
        <tr>
            <th>foo</th>
            <th>bar</th>
            <th>baz</th>
            <th>qux</th>
            <th>quux</th>
        </tr>
    </thead>
    <tbody>
        <tr>
            <td>1.1</td>
            <td>1.2</td>
            <td>1.3</td>
            <td>1.4</td>
            <td>1.5</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td colspan='2'>1.6</td>
            <td colspan='3'>1.7</td>
        </tr>
    </tbody>
    <tbody>
        <tr>
            <td>2.1</td>
            <td>2.2</td>
            <td>2.3</td>
            <td>2.4</td>
            <td>2.5</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td colspan='2'>2.6</td>
            <td colspan='3'>2.7</td>
        </tr>
    </tbody>
    <tbody>
        <tr>
            <td>3.1</td>
            <td>3.2</td>
            <td>3.3</td>
            <td>3.4</td>
            <td>3.5</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td colspan='2'>3.6</td>
            <td colspan='3'>3.7</td>
        </tr>
    </tbody>
    <tbody>
        <tr>
            <td>4.1</td>
            <td>4.2</td>
            <td>4.3</td>
            <td>4.4</td>
            <td>4.5</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td colspan='2'>4.6</td>
            <td colspan='3'>4.7</td>
        </tr>
    </tbody>
</table>

CSS

.ui-sortable-placeholder td {
    background: red;
}

JavaScript

$("table").sortable({
    items: 'tbody',
    forcePlaceholderSize: true,
    placeholder:  {
         element: function() {
             return '<tbody class="ui-sortable-placeholder"><tr><td colspan="5">placeholder</td></tr></tbody>';
        },
        update: function(container, p) {
            return;
        }
    },
    helper:  function(event, element) {
        helper = element.clone();
        
        $('td', helper).each(function(index) {
            $(this).width($('td', element).eq(index).width());
        });

        return helper;
    } 
}).disableSelection();