# Dominick Puni

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> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominick_Puni
> Source revision: 1355112902
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{{short description|American football player (born 2000)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name         = Dominick Puni
| image        = Dominick Puni 2024 49ers Bears.jpg
| alt          = 
| caption      = Puni with the [San Francisco 49ers](/source/San_Francisco_49ers) in 2024
| current_team = San Francisco 49ers
| number       = 77
| position     = [Guard](/source/Guard_(gridiron_football))
| birth_date   = {{birth date and age|2000|2|24}}
| birth_place  = [St. Charles, Missouri](/source/St._Charles%2C_Missouri), U.S.
| death_date   = 
| death_place  = 
| height_ft    = 6
| height_in    = 5
| weight_lb    = 313
| high_school  = [Francis Howell Central](/source/Francis_Howell_Central_High_School) {{nowrap|([Cottleville, Missouri](/source/Cottleville%2C_Missouri))}}
| college      = {{ubl|[Central Missouri](/source/Central_Missouri_Mules_football) (2018–2021)|[Kansas](/source/Kansas_Jayhawks_football) (2022–2023)}}
| draftyear    = 2024
| draftround   = 3
| draftpick    = 86
| pastteams    =
* [San Francisco 49ers](/source/San_Francisco_49ers) ({{NFL Year|2024}}–present)
| status       = Active
| highlights   =
* [PFWA All-Rookie Team](/source/PFWA_All-Rookie_Team) ([2024](/source/PFWA_All-Rookie_Team))
* First-team [All-Big 12](/source/List_of_All-Big_12_Conference_football_teams) ([2023](/source/2023_Big_12_Conference_football_season))
| statseason   = 2025
| statweek     = 
| statlabel1   = Games played
| statvalue1   = 34
| statlabel2   = Games started
| statvalue2   = 34
| pfr          =  PuniDo00
}}

'''Dominick Puni''' (''{{Respell|POU|-|nee|||||||||}}''; born February 24, 2000) is an American professional [football](/source/American_football) [guard](/source/Guard_(gridiron_football)) for the [San Francisco 49ers](/source/San_Francisco_49ers) of the [National Football League](/source/National_Football_League) (NFL). He played [college football](/source/college_football) for the [Central Missouri Mules](/source/Central_Missouri_Mules_football) and [Kansas Jayhawks](/source/Kansas_Jayhawks_football).

==Early life==
Puni was born on February 24, 2000, in [St. Charles, Missouri](/source/St._Charles%2C_Missouri).<ref name="TheBeast">{{Cite web |last=Brugler |first=Dane |title=The Beast: 2024 NFL Draft Guide |url=https://cdn.theathletic.com/app/uploads/2024/04/11162958/TheBeast2024_MasterFile-8.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240411212702/https://cdn.theathletic.com/app/uploads/2024/04/11162958/TheBeast2024_MasterFile-8.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 11, 2024 |url-access=subscription |access-date=April 14, 2024 |website=[The Athletic](/source/The_Athletic) |pages=140}}</ref> He attended [Francis Howell Central High School](/source/Francis_Howell_Central_High_School) in [Cottleville, Missouri](/source/Cottleville%2C_Missouri).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Guskey |first=Jordan |date=April 26, 2024 |title=San Francisco 49ers pick OL Dominick Puni in third round of 2024 NFL Draft. What to know |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2024/04/26/dominick-puni-nfl-draft-san-francisco-49ers/73410976007/ |access-date=May 27, 2024 |work=USA TODAY}}</ref>

==College career==
Puni played [college football](/source/college_football) at the [University of Central Missouri](/source/University_of_Central_Missouri) from 2018 to 2021. He did not play in 2020 due to the team's season being cancelled because of the [COVID-19 pandemic](/source/COVID-19_pandemic_in_the_United_States), and played in only one game in 2021 due to injury.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Erickson |first=Ethan |date=December 13, 2023 |title=St. Louis native, Kansas lineman Dominick Puni collecting honors ahead of NFL bid |url=https://www.stltoday.com/sports/college/football/st-louis-native-kansas-lineman-dominick-puni-collecting-honors-ahead-of-nfl-bid/article_84f146b8-995b-11ee-9b52-4f73ad65c39d.html |access-date=June 8, 2024 |website=St. Louis Post-Dispatch}}</ref> Puni transferred to the [University of Kansas](/source/University_of_Kansas) in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Andrews |first=Joe |date=July 6, 2022 |title=Former Mules starting left tackle lands spot at Kansas |url=https://www.warrensburgstarjournal.com/stories/former-mules-starting-left-tackle-lands-spot-at-kansas,66590 |url-access=subscription |access-date=June 8, 2024 |website=Warrensburg Star-Journal}}</ref> He started all 24 games he played in during his two years at Kansas.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Guskey |first=Jordan |date=November 25, 2023 |title=With Kansas football, Dominick Puni has helped set himself up for a chance in the NFL |url=https://www.cjonline.com/story/sports/college/hawk-zone/2023/11/25/kansas-football-dominick-puni-has-set-himself-up-for-a-nfl-chance/71676053007/ |access-date=June 8, 2024 |website=The Topeka Capital-Journal}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Erickson |first=Ethan |date=October 20, 2023 |title=St. Louis native, Kansas offensive lineman Dominick Puni climbing NFL draft boards |url=https://www.stltoday.com/sports/college/football/st-louis-native-kansas-offensive-lineman-dominick-puni-climbing-nfl-draft-boards/article_1a1dce2a-6ee4-11ee-a8b5-a38981f34459.html |access-date=June 8, 2024 |website=St. Louis Post-Dispatch}}</ref> He opted out of the [2023 Guaranteed Rate Bowl](/source/2023_Guaranteed_Rate_Bowl) in order to prepare for the [2024 NFL draft](/source/2024_NFL_draft).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Laddha |first=Shreyas |date=December 24, 2023 |title=Kansas Jayhawks football's Dominick Puni, Austin Booker opt out of Guaranteed Rate Bowl |url=https://www.kansascity.com/sports/college/big-12/university-of-kansas/article283491908.html |access-date=June 8, 2024 |website=The Kansas City Star}}</ref>

==Professional career==
{{NFL predraft
|    height ft = 6
|    height in = 5 1/8
|       weight = 313
|         dash = 5.35
|    ten split = 1.86
| twenty split = 3.13
|      shuttle = 4.40
|   cone drill = 7.47
|     vertical = 30.0
|     broad ft = 8
|     broad in = 11
|        bench = 26
|     arm span = 33 3/8
|    hand span = 10 1/8
|  wingspan ft = 6
|  wingspan in = 9 1/8
|         note = All values from [NFL Combine](/source/NFL_Combine)/[Pro Day](/source/Pro_Day)<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/dominick-puni/32005055-4e14-1154-d73c-5f4c0140ba47 |title=Dominick Puni Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |website=NFL.com |access-date=March 17, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1031592&DraftYear=2024 |title=2024 NFL Draft Scout Dominick Puni College Football Profile |website=DraftScout.com |access-date=March 17, 2024}}</ref>
}}

Puni was drafted by the [San Francisco 49ers](/source/San_Francisco_49ers) in the third round with the 86th overall pick in the [2024 NFL draft](/source/2024_NFL_draft).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Posey |first=Kyle |date=April 26, 2024 |title=49ers trade up with the Eagles to pick No. 86 to select Kansas offensive lineman Dominick Puni |url=https://www.ninersnation.com/2024/4/26/24142235/49ers-eagles-nfl-draft-trade-dominick-puni-kansas-offensive-lineman |access-date=May 27, 2024 |website=Niners Nation}}</ref> On August 23, he was named the starting [right guard](/source/Guard_(gridiron_football)) for the beginning of the [2024 NFL season](/source/2024_NFL_season).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chan |first=Jennifer Lee |date=August 23, 2024 |title=How Puni's hard work translated into starting role as rookie |url=https://www.nbcsportsbayarea.com/nfl/san-francisco-49ers/dominick-puni-starter-2024-draft/1773400/ |access-date=August 24, 2024 |website=NBC Sports Bay Area & California |language=en-US}}</ref> As a rookie, Puni started in all 17 games in the 2024 season.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dominick Puni 2024 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/P/PuniDo00/gamelog/2024/ |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> He was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team.<ref name="w571">{{cite web | last=McDonald | first=Briana | title=Fred Warner and Dominick Puni Earn 2024 PFWA Honors | website=49ers.com| date=2025-01-22 | url=https://www.49ers.com/news/fred-warner-and-dominick-puni-earn-2024-pfwa-honors | access-date=2025-04-04}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
Puni hails from a family of athletes. His parents, Teu and Jessica, were both college athletes at [Truman State University](/source/Truman_State_University). His father was a football player, and his mother played [volleyball](/source/volleyball). His brothers, Derrick and Devin, were also football players, attending [Central Missouri](/source/Central_Missouri), one of the schools Dominic played [college football](/source/college_football) at. His sister, Brianna, was also a college basketball player at [Illinois State](/source/Illinois_State_University).<ref>{{Cite web |title=5 Things to Know: Offensive Lineman Dominick Puni |url=https://www.49ers.com/news/2024-nfl-draft-5-things-to-know-offensive-lineman-dominick-puni-kansas-family-aj-epenesa |access-date=2025-05-31 |website=www.49ers.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

Puni is also the cousin of NFL defensive end [A. J. Epenesa](/source/A._J._Epenesa).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Madson |first=Kyle |title=49ers NFL draft picks: 5 things to know about OL Dominick Puni |url=https://ninerswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/niners/2024/04/26/49ers-nfl-draft-picks-dominick-puni-things-to-know/79512081007/ |access-date=2025-05-31 |website=Niners Wire |language=en-US}}</ref>

Puni is of [Samoan](/source/Samoans) ancestry, and was a finalist for the [Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award](/source/Polynesian_Football_Player_of_the_Year_Award) in 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-12-07 |title=Dominick Puni Named Polynesian Player of the Year Finalist |url=https://kuathletics.com/news/2023/12/7/dominick-puni-named-polynesian-player-of-the-year-finalist |access-date=2025-05-31 |website=University of Kansas |language=en}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.49ers.com/team/players-roster/dominick-puni/ San Francisco 49ers bio]
*[https://kuathletics.com/sports/football/roster/dominick-puni/1777 Kansas Jayhawks bio]
*[https://ucmathletics.com/sports/football/roster/dominick-puni/6406 Central Missouri Mules bio]

{{San Francisco 49ers roster navbox}}
{{49ers2024DraftPicks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Puni, Dominick}}
Category:2000 births
Category:Living people
Category:American people of Samoan descent
Category:Players of American football from St. Charles County, Missouri
Category:Sportspeople from St. Charles, Missouri
Category:American football offensive tackles
Category:Central Missouri Mules football players
Category:Kansas Jayhawks football players
Category:San Francisco 49ers players
Category:American football offensive guards
Category:21st-century American sportsmen

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Dominick Puni](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominick_Puni) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominick_Puni?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.