What to Know About 'Viral Star' Gennings Dunker Ahead of 2026 NFL Draft

Iowa offensive lineman Gennings Dunker is far from the biggest star in the 2026 NFL draft class, but plenty of fans will be following his exploits after he became a viral sensation at the combine.

Dunker's mullet and mustache were impossible to miss in Indianapolis. The luscious locks were flowing during every drill.

Before the combine, Dunker also had a fun interaction with NFL Network's Mike Garafolo during Senior Bowl week. He expressed his love for the Culver's restaurant chain and said it was a "crime" that Garafolo had never heard of it.

Dunker told ESPN's Adam Rittenberg his newfound fame was immediately apparent once he left Indy.

"When I was going through O'Hare Airport after the combine, people would come up to me," he said. "I was like: What is going on?"

Dunker is far more than his eye-catching coiffure and love for Culver's, though. He's the No. 97 overall player and seventh-ranked lineman on Bleacher Report's 2026 big board. At worst, he's trending toward being a Day 3 pick in the draft.

"Football's played in helmets, it's played in pads, but the story of Gennings Dunker has certainly benefited with the helmet being off," Iowa assistant defensive coordinator Seth Wallace said to Rittenberg.

"The things without his helmet on have given him an opportunity to present himself to the public, to NFL executives, general managers, coaches. They're all finding out: This kid's a hell of a football player, but gosh, he has an infectious personality."

Hawkeyes coach Kirk Ferentz has a straightforward explanation for what makes Dunker effective in the trenches.

"He wants to block the guy he's supposed to block," Ferentz said. "As stupid as that sounds, as simple as that sounds, it's a big part of being a good player. He's always trying to do his job really well. He's got all the attributes it takes to be successful."

Dunker, an Illinois native, was a 3-star recruit coming out of high school.

Hawkeyes coaches stumbled onto him because they were on a visit to scout his Lena-Winslow High School teammate Isaiah Bruce. Wallace saw Dunker outside the cafeteria and was immediately struck by how big his feet were.

"Wallace thought to himself: Holy s---, this is a mountain of a man," Rittenberg wrote. "He asked Dunker about his shoe size, as well as his height and weight."

That was the genesis of Dunker's eventual commitment to Iowa.

According to Rittenberg, Dunker started embracing his signature hairstyle in 2024. That coincided with his on-field profile taking off. He was a second-team All-Big Ten honoree as a junior and then earned first-team honors this past season.

A lot of Hawkeyes linemen have carved out NFL careers during the Ferentz era. Dunker might be the next in line.