The Seattle Seahawks land Iowa offensive lineman Gennings Dunker at No. 29 overall In Trevor Sikkema’s latest 2026 PFF mock draft, adding a zone-blocking specialist to an already playoff-caliber roster. Slotted near the bottom of Round 1 with a 10-3 record at the time of publication, Seattle uses its pick on trench help instead of a splash skill player.
Dunker is currently an offensive tackle at Iowa but has been widely projected as a guard at the next level. PFF notes that he owns an 86.0 run-blocking grade on zone concepts this season, a key detail considering how heavily Seattle leans on wide-zone and mid-zone in its rushing attack. In this mock, the Seahawks pass on cornerback and wide receiver to get a plug-and-play interior lineman who fits their scheme from Day 1.
The pick also reflects where Seattle finds itself in this draft order. At 10-3, this is not a rebuilding team looking for a complete reset. Instead, the Seahawks are trying to clean up weak spots on a roster that has already pushed into NFC playoff contention. Shoring up the interior, protecting their quarterback and creating better lanes in the run game is the type of “luxury” first-round move a contender can afford.
How a Dunker Pick Fits the Seahawks’ Offense
In Sikkema’s projection, the Seahawks prioritize protecting the middle of the pocket and improving their efficiency on the ground. Dunker’s profile suggests he can do both.
Moving him inside to guard would allow Seattle to take advantage of his movement skills without asking him to live on an island against top NFL edge rushers. His zone-blocking success at Iowa suggests he can reach three-techs, climb to linebackers and execute the backside cutoffs that are essential to the Seahawks’ ground game.
For the passing attack, better interior protection would give Seattle’s quarterback more room to step up, especially on deeper-developing concepts to their outside receivers. The Seahawks have invested in tackles in recent drafts; sliding a first-round talent into the interior would be the next logical step in completing the line rebuild.
This mock also signals a vote of confidence in Seattle’s current core of skill players. Rather than chasing another receiver or tight end, the Seahawks trust their weapons and instead try to raise the floor of every offensive snap by winning more consistently up front.
Dunker would factor into a Seahawks offensive line that has produced a strong season, but still faces questions, particularly right guard Anthony Bradford. Bradford has drawn criticism from fans throughout the season, and left the Seahawks coaching staff non-committal about where starter Jalen Sundell will play when he returns from injury, suggesting a possibility Sundell could replace Bradford.
What It Means for Seattle’s Draft Strategy
If this projection holds, it tells us a lot about how Seattle views its roster going into the 2026 draft. Interior offensive line, cornerback and wide receiver are listed as potential needs, but Dunker’s selection shows a belief that protecting the quarterback and running the ball efficiently still drives everything else.
Using a late first on an interior lineman is not flashy, but it’s the type of move that can pay off for a team already living in the postseason picture. It also gives Seattle flexibility later in the draft to address cornerback depth and another playmaker without reaching.
The Seahawks’ status as a 10-3 team in this mock underscores the window they’re operating in. This isn’t a teardown; it’s a fine-tuning. If Sikkema is right and Seattle walks away from Round 1 with Gennings Dunker, the Seahawks would be sending a clear message about how they plan to stay near the top of the NFC: by controlling the line of scrimmage and letting their existing stars do the rest.
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