By Hawk Fanatic

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Former Iowa offensive tackle Gennings Dunker, and his now famous red mullet are headed to Pittsburgh where he will launch his NFL career.

The 6-foot-5, 315-pound Dunker was selected by the six-time Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft on Friday, and with the 96th pick overall.

A native of Lena, Illinois, Dunker started 38 games for Iowa, and he was a key part of Iowa’s 2025 offensive line that won the Joe Moore Award as the nation’s top collegiate offensive line.

Dunker also made first-team All-Big Ten as a senior and second-team as a junior, and he also excelled in the classroom, earning Academic All-Big Ten honors four times, Academic All-District laurels three times and was voted a second-team Academic All-American following his senior season. He boasted a 3.59 grade point average while majoring in human physiology.

Former college head coach Nick Saban gave this evaluation of Dunker on ESPN’s coverage of the draft.

“You love his mentality, this guys is tough, he’s a good run blocker, has good initial quickness, plays with some power,” Saban said. “I think the struggle for him to play tackle, though, is going to be his pass blocking. He’s a little bit stiff in the lower body, doesn’t change direction very well.

“But I’m going to tell you what; he fits in the mentality of the Pittsburgh Steelers as well as anybody because this a tough-assed guy.”

Dunker is the second Iowa player to be picked in the 2026 NFL Draft, and the second offensive lineman.

Center Logan Jones was selected by the Chicago Bears in the second round, and with the 57th pick overall.