Dunker is the second Hawkeye to be selected, continuing the tradition of Iowa offensive lineman reaching the NFL.
Few college football programs develop NFL prospects more than Kirk Ferentz and the Iowa football program, and that sentiment rings true yet again.
Former offensive lineman Gennings Dunker is the second Hawkeye taken off the board in the 2026 NFL Draft, having been selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 96th overall pick in the third round.
Dunker's journey to professional level was far from easy. He saw regular action by his redshirt freshman season in 2022, but the usually-stout Iowa offensive line severely underperformed in his first two seasons in the trenches, which heavily contributed to the Hawkeyes' poor offense.
Iowa fans called for offensive line coach George Barnett to be fired, but Dunker and Co. instead put together a bounce-back campaign for the ages in 2024. Led by Kaleb Johnson, the Hawkeyes rushed for 197.2 yards per contest - the program's best mark since 2002.
Johnson bolted for the NFL following that season, but the momentum Dunker and the rest of his teammates had built was more than enough to carry it into the 2025 season, where Iowa earned the Joe Moore Award as the nation's best offensive line. Dunker started all 13 games at right tackle during the season, culminating in 38 total starts for the Black and Gold.
Well-known for his red mullet and mustache, Dunker was recently profiled by ESPN's Adam Rittenberg. The cover photo featured Dunker chowing down on a hamburger from Culver's - his usual postgame meal. He chose to watch the draft with his family and friends back home in Lena, Illinois, which recently was devastated by a tornado.
A strong sign of Dunker's character and Iowa's culture?
Though he was regarded as one of the best offensive lineman in football and almost assured of being a draft selection before the draft began, but told CBS Sports' Chris Hassel he would've returned to the Hawkeyes for another season if he had more eligibility.
“It meant so much to me to play for Coach Ferentz and Coach Barnett. I loved every second of it, and there are some things that money can’t buy," he said.
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HawkeyeRoundtable publisher Brad Schultz has covered the Iowa Hawkeyes since 2023. To send him story ideas, scoops, or criticize his writing, reach him at bradschultz@roundtable.io