Who is Gennings Dunker? Meet the mullet-clad Iowa OT known for crushing blocks and flowing locks
Who is Gennings Dunker? Meet the mullet-clad Iowa OT known for crushing blocks and flowing locks originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as your preferred source by clicking here.
The 2026 NFL Combine featured some notable performances.
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Sonny Styles, Eli Stowers and Taylen Green all impressed with dazzling displays on the artificial turf at Lucas Oil Stadium this weekend. On Sunday, another luminary took the stage, making his mark in a completely different way.
Iowa offensive lineman Gennings Dunker was one of the top talents in the country during his final two years of college. During Sunday’s combine session, the 22-year-old launched himself into the conversation of most interesting man in the draft class, becoming a media darling after a captivating 40-yard dash that saw his hair dance in the wind.
This wasn’t the first time Dunker made waves on the draft circuit. A few weeks earlier, he went viral for an interview with NFL Network during the Senior Bowl. During that conversation, Dunker waxed lyrical about his love for coffee — particularly Culver’s.
So who is the man behind this hairstyle? And what are Dunker’s real hopes in the NFL?
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Who is Gennings Dunker?
Dunker is a 22-year-old offensive tackle who played at Iowa. A Des Moines native who grew up in Iowa State territory, Dunker played at Lena-Winslow High School in Lena, Ill., earning three stars, according to 247 Sports. After redshirting as a freshman, the 6-foot-5, 315-pound lineman appeared in 12 games in 2022.
He became a starter in 2023, starting all 13 contests for the Hawkeyes at right tackle. He went on to earn second-team All-Big Ten honors in 2024 and first-team All-Big Ten honors in 2025, becoming one of the best offensive linemen in the country during his final two years in Iowa City.
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Gennings Dunker Mule
Dunker is perhaps best known for his mullet, which floats in the wind as he advances across the field. He sports a fiery mane enveloped in an amber hue. This pairs well with his mustache, which is equally distinctive.
Dunker does his hair for a simple reason. He thinks it will help him get to the NFL.
“I copied [former Iowa guard Connor] Colby because he had a season without one, a season with one. You know, he played a lot better with it,” Dunker told the Daily Iowan in 2025. “There’s a correlation. »
Colby was selected by the 49ers in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Dunker seems likely to join him in the professional ranks, with most mock drafts listing him as a Day 2 prospect. He had a strong performance at the 2026 Senior Bowl and followed up his exploits with a spirited performance at the Combine on March 1.
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Gennings Dunker Projection Project
Dunker was not featured on TSN’s final mock version of Vinnie Iyer, released after the first round of combine drills. Other publications peg him as a late first or early second round selection, with NBC Sports’ Kyle Dvorchak assigning Dunker the No. 29 overall selection by the Rams in their post-Super Bowl mock draft.
IYER:Latest Post-Combine NFL Mock Draft
Gennings Dunker NFL Combine Results
Here’s a look at Dunker’s performance at the 2026 NFL Combine.
|
Height |
Weight |
Hand size |
Arm length |
40 meter dash |
Vertical jump |
Long jump |
|
6’5 |
319 pounds |
10″ |
33 1/2″ |
5.18 |
Dunker’s 40-yard dash proved particularly notable, with his nest-shaped hair fluttering in the warm breeze at Lucas Oil Stadium.
MORE:Why is the NFL Combine still in Indianapolis?
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Gennings Dunker Iowa Highlights
Dunker captivated the crowd during his time at Kinnick Stadium. A look back at his most beautiful moments in black and gold.
What is the origin of Gennings Dunker?
Dunker is a Des Moines native and grew up just a stone’s throw from the Iowa State campus. Despite his proximity to the school, his family was Hawkeyes through and through.
“We took family photos and [I’m wearing] Hawkeye shirts and stuff,” Dunker said. “I had a picture of me and my little brothers wearing Hawkeye shirts.”
Dunker moved to Lena when she was a child. There were no youth leagues in his hometown, so he took his talents to neighboring Dakota as a child. There, he headed into the trenches, finding his place by crashing into opposing defenders. It started as a hobby, but quickly became an obsession, one that followed him as he transformed from the spindly 6’1 freshman who walked into the halls of Lena-Winslow to the 6’4, 240 pound talent who captivated audiences as a junior.
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