Сможет конечно, что ему стоит:
<!doctype html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8">
<title>Sortable 1</title>
<link href="https://code.jquery.com/ui/1.12.1/themes/base/jquery-ui.min.css" rel="stylesheet">
<script src="https://code.jquery.com/jquery-1.12.4.min.js"></script>
<script src="https://code.jquery.com/ui/1.12.1/jquery-ui.min.js"></script>
</head>
<body>
<style>
body > ul { width: 300px; }
ul, li, span { padding: 5px; border: 1px solid black; }
ul { background: red; list-style: none; }
li { background: blue; }
span { background: green; display: inline-block; }
</style>
<ul>
<li>
<span>11111</span>
<ul></ul>
</li>
<li>
<span>22222</span>
<ul></ul>
</li>
<li>
<span>33333</span>
<ul>
<li>
<span>33333-11111</span>
<ul></ul>
</li>
<li>
<span>33333-22222</span>
<ul></ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
<span>44444</span>
<ul></ul>
</li>
<li>
<span>55555</span>
<ul>
<li>
<span>55555-11111</span>
<ul>
<li>
<span>55555-11111-11111</span>
<ul></ul>
</li>
<li>
<span>55555-11111-22222</span>
<ul></ul>
</li>
<li>
<span>55555-11111-33333</span>
<ul></ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
<span>55555-22222</span>
<ul></ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
<span>66666</span>
<ul></ul>
</li>
</ul>
<script>
$('ul').sortable({
connectWith: 'ul',
forcePlaceholderSize: true,
placeholder: 'ui-state-highlight'
});
</script>
</body>
</html>
Просто без span:
<!doctype html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8">
<title>Sortable 2</title>
<link href="https://code.jquery.com/ui/1.12.1/themes/base/jquery-ui.min.css" rel="stylesheet">
<script src="https://code.jquery.com/jquery-1.12.4.min.js"></script>
<script src="https://code.jquery.com/ui/1.12.1/jquery-ui.min.js"></script>
</head>
<body>
<style>
body > ul { width: 300px; }
ul, li { padding: 5px; border: 1px solid black; }
ul { background: red; list-style: none; }
li { background: blue; }
</style>
<ul>
<li>
<ul>
<li class="title">11111</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
<ul>
<li class="title">22222</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
<ul>
<li class="title">33333</li>
<li>
<ul>
<li class="title">33333-11111</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
<ul>
<li class="title">33333-22222</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
<ul>
<li class="title">44444</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
<ul>
<li class="title">55555</li>
<li>
<ul>
<li class="title">55555-11111</li>
<li>
<ul>
<li class="title">55555-11111-11111</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
<ul>
<li class="title">55555-11111-22222</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
<ul>
<li class="title">55555-11111-33333</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
<ul>
<li class="title">55555-22222</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
<ul>
<li class="title">66666</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<script>
$('ul').sortable({
connectWith: 'ul',
forcePlaceholderSize: true,
items: 'li:not(.title)',
placeholder: 'ui-state-highlight'
});
</script>
</body>
</html>