JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<ul>
    <li>number one</li>
    <li>number two</li>
    <li>number three</li>
    <li>number four</li>
    <li>number five</li>
    <li>number six</li>
</ul>

CSS

ul li {
    display: inline-block;
    background: yellow;
    padding: 10px;
    margin: 10px;
    white-space: nowrap;
}

JavaScript

jQuery(document).ready(function() {
    
    jQuery("ul").sortable({
tolerance: "pointer",
      start: function(e, ui) {
        // The following fixes the issue. http://jsfiddle.net/tj_vantoll/vfgb5/
        ui.placeholder.html(" &nbsp; ");
      },
      scrollSensitivity: 10
    } );
});