Iowa City Today

Three University of Iowa football seniors, Gennings Dunker, Aaron Graves, and Logan Jones, have been named to the 2025 Lombardi Award watch list. The announcement was made Tuesday.

The Lombardi Award is given annually to a college player who best represents the values and spirit of NFL coach Vince Lombardi. According to the award’s criteria, “These qualities are include character, discipline and excellence both on and off the football field.”

Dunker started 11 games as a junior for Iowa’s offensive line, which was recognized as a semifinalist for the Joe Moore Award in 2024. He earned second-team all-conference honors and was selected for Academic All-District. Dunker is also a candidate for the 2025 Outland Trophy and Wuerffel Award. Last season, he contributed to an offense that rushed for more than 200 yards in seven games.

Graves started all 13 games at defensive tackle in 2024. He recorded 33 tackles with eight tackles for loss (including six sacks), three forced fumbles—leading the Big Ten—three pass break-ups, and two quarterback pressures. Off the field, Graves was named second-team Academic All-American. He has also been included on watch lists for the Bednarik Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, and Lott IMPACT Trophy this year. Phil Steele named him a preseason second team All-American.

Jones has appeared on the Rimington preseason watch list for two consecutive seasons; former Hawkeye Tyler Linderbaum won that trophy in 2021. Jones was previously listed on this month’s Outland Trophy Watch List as well. As a junior last season, he started 12 games at center and earned first-team all-conference recognition along with honorable mention All-American status from Phil Steele. Jones anchored an offensive line that allowed only 17 sacks while helping Iowa rush for its highest total yardage since 2002: 2,564 yards. This month he received preseason All-American honors from Walter Camp (second team), Athlon (third team), and Phil Steele (third team).

Iowa will begin its season against UAlbany on August 30 at Kinnick Stadium.

Several other Hawkeyes have also been named to national award watch lists ahead of the season:

- Rhys Dakin: Ray Guy Award

- Gennings Dunker: Outland Trophy, Wuerffel Award, Lombardi Award

- Aaron Graves: Nagurski Trophy, Bednarik Award, Lombardi Award

- Mark Gronowski: Maxwell Award

- Logan Jones: Outland Trophy, Rimington Trophy, Lombardi Award

- Kamari Moulton: Doak Walker Award

- Zach Ortwerth: Mackey Award

- Drew Stevens: Lou Groza Award

- Kaden Wetjen: Jet Award