It was pretty evident from the get-go the San Francisco 49ers had something special in former Kansas offensive guard Dominick Puni not long after they used a third-round pick to select him in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Puni quickly seized the starting right guard job and never looked back, ultimately starting all 17 regular-season games his rookie year and emerging as one of several 2024 rookies with plenty of promise and hype.
Entering year two, Puni is cemented as a starter once more. But his surroundings leave a lot to be desired.
Right tackle Colton McKivitz is entering a contract year and figures to command a hefty deal on the open market (thank you, now-Kansas City Chiefs tackle Jaylon Moore for that) regardless of what the fanbase thinks about performance levels. Center Jake Brendel is on the wrong side of 30 years old, and the Niners have yet to solidify who starts at left guard, leaving aging veteran Trent Williams as the only other "sure thing" up front on San Francisco's O-line.
Williams isn't considering an imminent retirement, although at age 37, it's clear the end is much sooner than later.
So, as far as long-term things go, Puni is about the only option at the 49ers' disposal.
Dominick Puni poised to be 49ers' lone O-line mainstay
Entering the second year of his opening four-year rookie deal, Puni isn't going anywhere anytime soon.
However, it's fair to question whether he ascends or declines over the course of his sophomore season. Pro Football Focus, which awarded him a commendable 80.5 overall grade in 2024, also cited the lineman as a candidate to emerge as the "best" at his position entering 2025.
That'd be something.
Yet there are plenty of proverbial "sophomore slumps," too, which can cast a shadow on whether or not Puni remains a strong link.
In comparison to his linemates, though, merely being a mainstay works in his favor, as there are likely to be some significant changes to the Niners' O-line over the next few seasons.
