Gennings Dunker showed up to the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis and made sure everybody knew it. The 22-year-old Iowa OT has a flowing red mullet that grabbed cameras the second he lined up for drills Sunday.
He ran a 5.18-second 40-yard dash, and the broadcast slowed it down just to let his hair have its moment. Some people are saying it’s the best mullet the combine has ever seen.
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The Iowa OT is viewed by plenty of scouts as a potential second-round pick. He measured in at 6-foot-5 and 319 pounds during the week. Cameras kept finding him, and commentators could not stop bringing up that shoulder-length look.
Iowa offensive lineman Gennings Dunker
Iowa Hawkeyes offensive lineman Gennings Dunker looks on before the game against the Massachusetts Minutemen at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
But there is more to him than the hairstyle. He anchored an Iowa offensive line that won the 2025 Joe Moore Award, which goes to college football’s top front five every year.
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On a recent Good Morning Football segment, host Kyle Brandt compared Dunker’s whole vibe to actress Sydney Sweeney, which just added another weird layer to his growing spotlight.
“Gennings Dunker, lineman from Iowa. This guy took over social media. Just a glorious, shiny, majestic mane, obviously conditioned right before. This guy’s hair is so good, you don’t even pay attention to his mustache or his tattoos,” Brandt said. “Or the fact that he’s actually really, really talented. The fact is, he’s got kind of a Sydney Sweeney thing going with his authentic talent there, distracted by the physical assets. I get it. Incredible. The high pants, the everything. Jennings, Dunker, great tackle out of Iowa.”
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.@KyleBrandt compares Gennings Dunker to All-Pro Quinn Meinerz … and Sydney Sweeney 🤣 pic.twitter.com/mRvWNFfy01
— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) March 2, 2026
Brandt also linked Dunker to Broncos All-Pro Quinn Meinerz, joking that the two linemen might share some long-lost family connection. That said, no clue if that comparison would ever reach Sydney Sweeney or how she’d react to it. But it might get a smile out of the young offensive tackle.
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Iowa offensive lineman Gennings Dunker
Iowa offensive lineman Gennings Dunker during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The long hair was not the only thing getting attention Sunday. The Iowa OT made sure his numbers backed up the buzz. That 5.18 in the 40 put him 29th among offensive linemen. His 10-yard split was 1.83 seconds, which ranked 31st.
Moreover, Dunker posted a 4.63 in the 20-yard shuttle, good for third at his position. He also hit a 32½-inch vertical, tied for sixth. His broad jump reached 9 feet flat, tied for 21st. The style stood out, but the numbers showed up too.
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