Dunker Picked by Pittsburgh in 3rd Round of NFL Draft

PITTSBURGH -- University of Iowa offensive tackle Gennings Dunker will stay in the black and gold after being selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of Friday's NFL Draft. Dunker was the 96th player picked overall.

The Lena, Illinois, native is the 23rd offensive linemen selected in the Kirk Ferentz era. It is the 10th time a Hawkeye offensive lineman has been drafted in the top three rounds, dating back to 2002.

Dunker (6-foot-5, 315 pounds) was a first-team All-Big Ten selection and part of the offensive line that won the Joe Moore Award during the 2025 season. He started all 13 contests as a senior and 38 games during his collegiate career.

Iowa’s offense averaged 176.7 rushing yards per game and the line surrendered just 18 total sacks during the year. Dunker and the Hawkeyes out-rushed their opponents 10 times in 2025, including gaining more than 200 yards in five games.

Dunker 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.

With the 96th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, we select G Gennings Dunker. pic.twitter.com/Wgk5XWWsdE

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) April 25, 2026

Pittsburgh won 10 games a year ago and were champions of the AFC North. It marks the third straight year the Steelers drafted a Hawkeye (DT Logan Lee in 2024; RB Kaleb Johnson and DT Yahya Black in 2025).

Iowa has had at least one player drafted in every NFL Draft since 1978. Dunker is the 96th player coached by Kirk Ferentz at the University of Iowa to be selected in the NFL Draft.