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Williams amazed by maturity, skill of 49ers rookie Puni initially appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Ever because the 49ers chosen Dominick Puni within the third spherical of the 2024 NFL Draft, the rookie offensive lineman has match proper in with San Francisco.
Puni earned the starting job at proper guard in coaching camp because of his skillset and decided mentality — each of that are so nice that All-Professional left deal with Trent Williams generally forgets how younger the 24-year-old really is.
“No, I did not discuss to him about that. I neglect he is a rookie generally,” Williams instructed reporters this week when requested if he spoke to Puni forward of the rookie’s first NFL highway sport in opposition to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. “He is simply so mature for his age. However yeah, I am fairly positive we’ll have time to debate it. He is so forward of the curve, although, he most likely do not want a lot from me.”
It is nearly a assure that Puni would welcome no matter recommendation he can get from one of the best offensive deal with within the sport, however Williams’ reward speaks volumes to how the younger guard is adjusting to life within the NFL. And Puni’s efforts are exhibiting up on the sphere, too.
Puni’s efficiency within the 49ers’ 32-19 win over the New York Jets in Week 1 earned him a postgame locker room visit from Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame linebacker Patrick Willis, and Williams took notice of how the rookie was in a position to carry out not solely bodily, however mentally past his years in the course of the season opener.
“I did not discover something. He is on the opposite facet, so it is form of onerous for me to maintain up with the whole lot, you realize, all of the intricate stuff he was going by, however I did not discover something,” Williams mentioned of how Puni dealt with his first NFL sport. “The movie regarded good. He communicated effectively on the sideline, letting the coach know what he is seeing.
“Typically, that may be the toughest half for a rookie to have the ability to come again and provides that info that you just’re seeing on the sphere in actual time. He did an ideal job doing that, so I believe he is OK.”
Behind Williams (81.6 total), Puni acquired the 49ers’ second-highest PFF grade alongside the offensive line at 79.1 total. The 49ers ran the ball 4 occasions to the right behind Puni, per PFF, and people performs averaged 5.3 yards earlier than contact, with two shifting the chains. Puni additionally earned a 77.7 pass-blocking grade and a 74.6 run-blocking grade in his NFL debut.
Each Puni’s fast ascension and Williams’ admiration for the rookie have not gone unnoticed by 49ers basic supervisor/president of soccer operations John Lynch, as he shared with KNBR on Friday.
“I assumed he was super,” Lynch mentioned of Puni’s Week 1 efficiency. “It would not be truthful to him to simply say regular, as a result of he is been greater than regular. It was enjoyable watching Trent’s response. Trent is not simply impressed … and Trent got here in and it was like, ‘Rattling!’ He stored saying that, like this child actually will get it.
“And I believe he is received a peaceful about him, however then he is received some actually, actually good capability, power, motion, all of it. And we actually favored him popping out of faculty. and a part of it [was] he wasn’t fazed by something. He performed all 5 positions at Kansas and he did it effectively, however I might let you know … you see issues on movie, after which there’s guys who look even higher in particular person.
“He is a type of guys.”
Dominick Puni continues to wow everybody, from teammates to the entrance workplace.
John Lynch: “It would not be truthful to simply name him regular, he is been greater than regular.” pic.twitter.com/WSMDQZxCiR
— KNBR (@KNBR) September 13, 2024
It is an enormous credit score to the 49ers’ entrance workplace for locating and drafting a participant like Puni, who has supplied an on the spot increase to San Francisco’s offensive line. And it is also a testomony to offensive line coach/run sport coordinator Chris Foerster for getting the rookie on top of things so shortly.
However none of it will be attainable with out Puni’s dedication to the sport and eagerness to make an influence in his first season. As Sunday’s tilt in opposition to the Vikings approaches, the 49ers definitely hope Puni’s early success continues in Week 2.
