Sportsvival continues its early scouting of premier 2026 NFL Draft prospects. Iowa right tackle Gennings Dunker is a technically polished, multi‑year starter at 6 ft 5 in, 315 lbs who projects as a Day‑1 starter with tackle‑to‑guard versatility; his profile and tape place him in the mid-late 2nd round.
Iowa,Tackle, Gennings Dunker- 6’5” 315 lbs.
Background and Recruit Profile
High school: Lena‑Winslow High School (Lena, IL); Dunker entered Iowa’s program as a developmental recruit and worked his way into a full‑time starting role, embodying the Hawkeyes’ developmental pipeline and toughness.
Physical Profile and Measurables
Height/Weight: 6 ft 5 in; 315 lbs.
Frame and length: Thick, leverage‑friendly tackle frame with a sturdy base and NFL‑ready mass. Athletic testing lists a ~5.30 40‑yard dash on positional testing, reflecting average straight‑line speed for a power tackle.
College Career and Production
Dunker redshirted early in his Iowa tenure before becoming a consistent starter. He logged multiple seasons as a starter at right tackle, earning All‑Big Ten recognition and high‑volume starting experience that underpins his draft stock. Dunker has 37 career starts at Iowa.
Strengths
Technical polish: Consistent hand placement, disciplined kick‑slide, and minimal lunging make him a coachable prospect who converts technique to consistent play.
Run‑game dominance: Powerful lower‑body drive and sustain; excels in gap and zone schemes and finishes blocks through contact.
Durability and experience: Multi‑year starter with heavy snap counts against Power Five competition, reducing rookie‑year risk.
Football IQ and temperament: Plays with controlled aggression and shows strong situational awareness in combo blocks and second‑level work.
Weaknesses
Length ceiling: Arm length and pure edge‑speed recovery are average for elite NFL tackles, which could limit upside on the blind side against twitchy speed rushers.
Explosiveness: Not an elite twitch athlete; may struggle to mirror elite edge rushers without schematic help.
Positional projection: Best long‑term ceiling may be at guard in some schemes if teams prioritize length and elite lateral recovery at tackle.
Player Profile and Projection
Draft projection: Mid-late second round pick depending on combine/pro day testing and team fits.
Role projection: Day‑1 starter at right tackle in a power or balanced scheme; projects smoothly to guard for teams valuing technique and interior strength.
Ceiling/Floor: Floor: dependable multi‑year starter;
Ceiling: above‑average NFL starter with potential for long‑term impact if pass‑pro range improves.
Pro Comparison
Brandon Scherff. Dunker shares Scherff’s 6‑5, 315‑lb build, mauling run‑game traits, and interior upside; like Scherff, Dunker’s best path to elite status may come from a move inside where his power, technique, and finishing violence translate into consistent wins at the point of attack.
Sportsvival View
Sportsvival views Gennings Dunker as a high‑floor, scheme‑flexible offensive line prospect whose technical foundation and run‑drive power make him an immediate NFL starter. If testing confirms adequate athleticism, he’s a late‑first round target; if testing is average, he remains a premium early second‑round pick with clear starter upside and a realistic path to long‑term NFL success.
(photo courtesy of Iowa Magazine)