Dominick Puni: The 49ers' most promising building block

The San Francisco 49ers, a team that has often avoided spending significant draft capital on the offensive line, hit the jackpot last year with third-round pick Dominick Puni. As a rookie, he stepped in during training camp due to injuries and thrived at right guard.

Puni posted the fifth-highest overall grade (80.5) from Pro Football Focus among qualifying guards. He also finished as the highest-graded rookie offensive lineman, earning an 81.5 run-blocking grade that led all first-year players at his position.

Puni played 100% of the offensive snaps during his rookie season. While he allowed 35 pressures and three sacks, all three sacks came after Week 12. With a full NFL season under his belt, Puni is poised to finish his sophomore campaign even stronger.

Bleacher Report's Moe Moton recently named each NFL team's most promising building block entering the 2025 season, and for the 49ers, it was none other than the second-year offensive lineman.

"In San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan's run-heavy offense, Dominick Puni made a strong first impression," Moton wrote.

Puni has already established himself as a cornerstone of the offensive line, crucial given the uncertainty at other positions. The 49ers used just one draft pick on an offensive lineman this year, waiting until the seventh round to select guard Connor Colby.

While the 49ers remain confident in their current group of blockers, time will tell if their lack of investment along the line becomes an issue, especially after committing heavily to quarterback Brock Purdy with a five-year, $265 million contract extension.

"As left tackle Trent Williams enters his age-37 campaign, someone on the 49ers' offensive line must take the baton to become the lead force within the unit and help maintain the hard-nosed identity of the ground game," Moton added. "Puni could eventually become a leader among San Francisco's offensive linemen."