Gennings Dunker
Experience
Position-Specific Grades
COMBINE RESULTS
The Takeaway
The Player
Dunker is a tenacious and powerful run blocker who has some upside as a pass blocker. He played as a tackle in college but may be a better fit at guard in the NFL. You can tell he was a wrestler in high school by the way he latches onto defensive linemen with his big hands. He lifts and drives defenders, blocking to the whistle and flashing good finishing power. He stays on track working up to the second level and violently engages linebackers. His short shuttle time is borderline outstanding for the position, and he moves well laterally. He can reach front-side edge defenders and scoops backside defensive tackles when he gets good depth with his first step.
He can be inconsistent with his footwork and angles. He can fall off blocks at the line of scrimmage when his base quickly narrows, and he has a tendency to launch at and glance off defenders in space. Edge defenders can successfully slip off of him when he gets top-heavy. He gets grabby when he starts to lose.
He’s strong and big enough to anchor and has an ability to sink and recover when he gives ground initially. His arms measured 34 inches at the Senior Bowl and 33 ½ inches at the combine. He appears to be long enough and quick enough to handle speed off the edge.
He played in a run-heavy offense at Iowa that utilizes a lot of play action, so he faces a steeper learning curve in the NFL as a pass blocker. He competed and held his own at the Senior Bowl. He also showed a willingness to play guard. He started 38 games at right tackle in college and one game at guard (in 2022).
The Draft
Dunker is a top-100 prospect and one of the top offensive linemen in this class. Tyler Linderbaum (no. 25 overall in 2022) is the only Iowa offensive lineman to have been taken in the past three drafts.
The Projection
Matthew Bergeron, a 2023 second-round pick, had similar size and length as Dunker coming out of college. Bergeron also had similar concerns about his ability to hold up in pass protection as a tackle. He moved inside to guard in the NFL, where he’s started 49 games in his first three seasons in the league.