Third-round pick Gennings Dunker has the look of a Pittsburgh Steelers lineman according to head coach Mike McCarthy. Dunker also has the appearance of a lineman ready to become a fan favorite in western Pennsylvania.
To fulfill that potential, Dunker will have to move positions at the NFL level. The former Iowa offensive lineman began the transition from right tackle to guard at Steelers rookie minicamp this weekend.
In typical fan favorite fashion, Dunker is embracing the position switch.
“Kind of whatever they need, yeah,” said Dunker.
“I thought it was a lot of fun,” he added on rookie minicamp. “A lot of things to work on. So, I’m going to go watch some ball after this, look at it, take some notes. Yeah, a lot of things to watch.”
At Iowa, Dunker started his final three seasons at right tackle. The Steelers appear to be planning the third-rounder compete for the team’s open left guard starting job this summer.
The Steelers grabbed Dunker at No. 96 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft. The lineman was the third of three selections the team made during the third round on April 24.
Steelers’ Mike McCarthy Shares First Impression of Gennings Dunker
A strong first impression was the optimal choice of words for McCarthy with reporters Saturday. The head coach used it for several of the team’s rookies, including Dunker when talking about the third-round pick’s position change.
“The vertical sets and some of the things we do are a tad different than maybe he’s done in the past,” said McCarthy. “It’s for all those guys.
“I don’t want to be redundant here, but he’s made a very good first impression.”
Even though Dunker is expected to play a different position, McCarthy sees him, along with first-round tackle Max Iheanachor, fitting right in.
“Obviously, they definitely look like Pittsburgh Steelers linemen,” McCarthy told reporters. “I think you look for young men that definitely have the anchor to play the style of football we want to play.
“Huge emphasis and focal point on the O and D line here as far as how we want this team to look and play, and those guys fit right in.”
Dunker made his first career college start at right guard in 2022. But from 2023-25, Dunker started 38 games at right tackle.
In addition to being open to play guard or tackle for the Steelers, the third-round pick told reporters he didn’t have a preference between the left or right side of the line.
Steelers Emerging Fan Favorite Reacts to Position Change at Rookie Minicamp