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Iowa’s recruiting class of 2021 officially got the ball rolling way back in the summer of 2019. That’s when offensive lineman Gennings Dunker committed to the Hawkeyes before he even entered his junior season. At the time, Dunker was a 6’4”, 240 pound lineman with a mean streak. That was enough for the Hawkeyes to extend and offer and the Lena, Illinois native jumped on the opportunity.
Today, Dunker makes it official.
It's a Slam Addition to O-Line U. @gennings_dunker #Swarm21 x #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/PVZS0ggkzn
— Hawkeye Football (@HawkeyeFootball) December 16, 2020
Since committing, Dunker has continued to grow and develop. He’s grown an inch over the last year and a half and now stands at 6’5”. He’s also found his way to some protein and the weight room as he’s added 50 pounds to come in at 290 pounds. That’s a big boy as a high school senior.
It’s not just that great size that makes Dunker a great pickup for the Hawkeyes. The Lena Winslow product is a road grader up front and plays with a mean streak reminiscent of current center Tyler Linderbaum. Dunker projects as a guard at the next level and comes in with a frame ready to play early in his career.
Given his early commitment, and likely due to the small nature of his school, Dunker committed to Iowa without any other offers reported. Despite the small school, Dunker likely would have found some suitors beyond the Hawkeyes if Iowa hadn’t found him.
But find him they did. That was in part due to the recruitment of Dunker’s high school teammate Isaiah Bruce, who was a defensive line commit in the class of 2020.
A 3-star product according to both 247 Sports and Rivals, Dunker is one of three commits from the Land of Lincoln in Iowa’s class of 2021. He joins offensive lineman David Davidkov and defensive lineman Jeremiah Pittman from Illinois. Dunker is also one of four offensive lineman expected to sign in the early period. He joins the aforementioned Davidkov, as well as Cedar Rapids native Connor Colby and Missouri native Beau Stephens up front.
Welcome aboard, officially, Gennings Dunker!