5 Things to Know: Dominick Puni
In the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers selected Dominick Puni from the University of Kansas with the 86th-overall pick.
“I want to come and make an instant impact,” Puni said after being drafted. “I’m going to make sure they know they chose the right pick and that I was the right decision.”
Keep reading to learn more about San Francisco’s newest offensive lineman.
Family of Athletes
Originally from St. Charles, Missouri, Puni grew up in a house full of athletes.
His parents, Teu and Jessica, both played college sports at Truman State University. His dad played football and his mother played volleyball. Puni’s brothers, Derrick and Devin, played college football at Central Missouri and his sister, Brianna, was a college basketball player at Illinois State.
Puni also is cousins with Buffalo Bills defensive lineman A.J. Epenesa, who played collegiately at lowa and was a second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
College Career
Puni has appeared in 42 games (38 starts) across six seasons playing at Central Missouri (2018-21) and Kansas (2022-23).
In 2019, Puni started in 13 games for Central Missouri and earned an All-MIAA honorable mention. Following his transfer to Kansas, the offensive lineman was named an All-Big 12 honorable mention as a redshirt junior in 2022 and earned AP First-Team All-Big 12 honors as a redshirt senior in 2023. Throughout his entire time playing at Kansas, Puni did not allow a single sack.
Almost 1600 snaps, 0 sacks allowed.@air_puni is top flight security.#RockChalk | #NFLCombine pic.twitter.com/XgmWiGcLHy
— Kansas Football (@KU_Football) March 1, 2024
Top-Ranked Offensive Lineman
Leading into the 2024 NFL Draft, Puni made the Pro Football Focus list of the top-ranked offensive tackles on gap-scheme run concepts in this year’s class, landing at No. 6.
Puni has recorded a 90.4 pass block grade, a 72.3 run block grade and a 80.6 overall grade from the 2023 season. PFF wrote that Puni is a “massive player who is tough to get around from size alone,” and “has the power to displace people when he gets them between the shoulders.”
Kansas LT Dominick Puni last season:
🔵 342 Pass Block Snaps
🔵 Zero Sacks Allowed
🔵 Zero QB Hits Allowed
🔵 90.4 Pass Block Grade pic.twitter.com/CWSMSWk72W— PFF College (@PFF_College) March 21, 2024
NFL Combine Results
At the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine, Puni ran the 40-yard dash in 5.35 seconds, along with a 30-inch vertical jump and a broad jump of 8 feet, 11 inches.
In Puni’s combine report, NFL analyst Lance Zierlein shared that the offensive lineman “plays with excellent feel for arm extension and maintains his feel for pass rushers.”
Dream Team
To be drafted by the 49ers was Puni’s “dream come true.”
“The first thing that went through my head (when receiving the draft call) was ‘hell yeah’,” Puni said in a 1-on-1 interview with 49ers team reporter Lindsey Pallares. “I wanted to go to the 49ers. That was my team I wanted to go to, I was super excited… The history of the 49ers is legendary. Obviously, right now, the roster – the team and the staff – it’s all amazing.”
Dream come true‼️#BANGBANG pic.twitter.com/82XggcKs2s
— Dominick Puni (@air_puni) April 27, 2024
5 Things to Know: Renardo Green
In the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers selected Renardo Green from the Florida State University with the 64th-overall pick.
“The defense is built off dogs and I fit in good,” Green said after being drafted. “It’s just an amazing feeling to come out there. I watch that defense and the way they play and knowing that I can be a part of that, I can come in and help contribute, it just means a lot to me.”
Malik Mustapha Goes From 49ers Fan to 49ers Draftee | Off the Field
Since childhood, Wake Forest safety Malik Mustapha was a fan of the San Francisco 49ers. In the 2024 NFL Draft, the 49ers were a fan of Mustapha.
Growing up in Charlotte, North Carolina, Mustapha was uniquely surrounded by Dallas Cowboys fans in his family. However, because he wanted to stand out, Mustapha chose a different path and decided to become a 49ers fan. His love for San Francisco was fueled by playing as a member of the 49ers in Madden. Through playing the video game, he pinpointed his favorite NFL player, former 49ers running back Frank Gore.
