The NFL Draft is officially here, with over 250 athletes hoping to hear their names called in Pittsburgh.
Iowa has at least eight players who have the potential to be selected during the three-day event from April 23 to 25, but one admitted he would easily return to the program if he could.
Versatile offensive lineman Gennings Dunker was a staple of the line that earned the Joe Moore Award last season, and even though he is expected to be one of the first Hawkeyes drafted, he would return to Iowa City in a heartbeat.
Dunker would return to Iowa if he had more eligibility
Dunker has repeatedly said that it he has loved every minute of playing for Kirk Ferentz and the Iowa program, and he made a recent admission that will make Hawkeye fans smile.
Former Iowa OL and soon-to-be NFL Draft pick, Gennings Dunker told @Hassel_Chris this week that if he still had eligibility left, he’d be back at Iowa this fall:
— Eliot Clough (@EliotClough) April 23, 2026
“It meant so much to me to play for Coach Ferentz and Coach Barnett. I loved every second of it, and there are some… pic.twitter.com/TcOP14DqjR
He recently told CBS Sports HQ anchor Chris Hassel that if he had more eligibility, he'd be back at Iowa.
Dunker didn't think he had a chance to play at the next level until his fourth year, and he said that he's loved every second of playing for Kirk Ferentz and offensive line coach George Barnett.
Even though he could easily be a second-round pick, he told Hassel that "there are some things money can't buy," and he would return to play for Ferentz if he could.
ESPN's latest mock draft projects the Dallas Cowboys to select Dunker No. 58 overall in the second round.
Dunker's admission proves how much it means for the players to play football at the University of Iowa, and if the five-year eligibility proposal passes, we could easily see more players staying an extra year in the program.
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