LAWRENCE — It’s not often an NFL team believes an offensive lineman can play all five positions. But the San Francisco 49ers believe Kansas lineman Dominick Puni can do just that.
The 49ers selected Puni in the third round (86th overall) in the NFL Draft, and GM John Lynch believes Puni can help the team immediately.
“I believe we’re going to start him on the inside as a guard,” Lynch said. “But the cool thing about Dominick is it’s not often you can say about a player that he can play all five and we believe that’s the case with him.
“He snapped in practice, he snapped at the Senior Bowl and played some center in the game, played left tackle in ’23, guard in the previous year. So we believe he has it in him, and that’s a cool thing to have in a player. And he can do it at a high level and that’s part of the reason we moved up to take him, and we’re really fired up about him.”
The 6-foot-5, 320-pound Puni started his college career at Division II Central Missouri and transferred to KU in 2022. In Puni’s two seasons with the Jayhawks, he never allowed a single sack.
Puni started 13 games at left guard in 2022 an was All-Big 12 honorable mention. This past season Puni started at left tackle and was a first-team All-Big 12 selection. Puni said he’s just looking forward to helping the team anywhere on the field.
“My ambition is really I want to help the team in any way,” Puni said. “I want to be able to play. The thing in my mind is versatility, so center, guard, tackle, wherever they can put me. I think the Niners’ offense is a really fun offense to play in. So I’m excited.”
A couple weeks ago, the 49ers had Puni meet with them at their facility and they liked what they saw and were eager to make him a 49er when the opportunity arose.
“He’s a solid football player,” Lynch said. “He is, and he’s a guy we got out here and we got comfortable with the person. And it’s always nice to — and it’s not essential — but it’s nice to be around them a little bit more and see them in an environment with their peers and how they interact with our coaches.
“And there was a good feel there. We liked the tape and liked the versatility and wanted to make him a 49er.”
