Gennings Dunker 2026 NFL Draft: scouting report for Iowa, OL

Everything you need to know about Iowa Hawkeyes standout OL’s game, from pros and cons to a pro player comparison ahead of the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft.

Kyle Crabbs — NFL National Writer

Jan 27, 2026 6:58 AM EST

Height: 6-4 7/8ths
Weight: 320
Year: Senior
Pro Comparison: Dominick Puni

2026 NFL Combine Results

Gennings Dunker, OL, Iowa

Hand Size: N/A
Arm Length: N/A
40-Yard Dash: N/A
Vertical Leap: N/A
Broad Jump: N/A
20-Yard Shuttle: N/A
3-Cone: N/A

Pros of Gennings Dunker

Very good displacement ability and power at the point of attack to create lanes in the run game
Shows good grip strengths and upper body power to clamp and steer defenders
Has a good cadence with his feet to take angles and frame blocks on the edge
Strong anchor to absorb power rushes and sustain pocket spacing
Very tenacious play demeanor, provides that level of “nasty” you prefer up front

Cons of Gennings Dunker

Does not have notable explosiveness out of the blocks and can get left behind on the back side of zone plays to create run-through lanes
Lacks the idea reach and punch range to steepen angles and dictate the edge to pass rushers
Tightly wound through the hips in a way that limits his ability to flash and react to sudden color upfield

Background

Dunker is from Lena, IL and played his high school football for Lena-Winslow HS. There, he forged his future in the weight room, stacking muscle and becoming a late-bloomer that caught the attention of the Hawkeyes. Dunker was rated as a 3-star recruit (247Sports) and enrolled at Iowa as a member of their 2021 recruiting class. He redshirted his true freshman season before logging one start as a redshirt freshman in 2022. Dunker would go on to serve as a three-year starter thereafter and seized Second-Team All-Big Ten honors in 2024 and First-Team All-Big Ten honors in 2025.

Gennings Dunker has been credited with a 680 pound back squat and 15 reps of 345lbs on the bench press before he turned 20. He’ll turn 23 shortly after the 2026 NFL Draft.

Player Evaluation

Dunker has experience at both guard spots during his redshirt freshman season — it will come in useful. He’s played exclusively right tackle in the past three seasons and done well for himself as a college right tackle but he does appear to be a guard projection for most NFL teams. His gravitational pull is a bit limited by his lack of functional reach and his modest movement skills. That said, he’s a close quarters dynamo and would greatly benefit from bumpers on their side of him to limit the amount of space he must protect.

Dunker has the hands that are capable of erasing defenders. If he gets a clean punch or a heavy piece, he’s going to offset upfield momentum and he does very well for himself in his strike zone to set hands and secure & control blocks. You just wish the strike zone was a little bigger if you were going to play him on the edge.

Dunker has great power and strength to show up in both the pass game and the run game. His combination blocks are forceful and the initial movement he creates helps him seize good angles to the second-level defender when he’s climbing. If left uncapped at the line of scrimmage and changed with climbing straight to the second level, he will be tested with his burst and range to close the ground necessary to win the block.

Dunker projects as a starter and would be ideally implemented in gap/duo/inside zone heavy scheme, which would not test his influence or his range quite as much as the outside zone schemes.