Williams amazed by maturity, skill of 49ers rookie Puni

Williams amazed by maturity, skill of 49ers rookie Puni originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Ever since the 49ers selected Dominick Puni in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, the rookie offensive lineman has fit right in with San Francisco.

Puni earned the starting job at right guard in training camp thanks to his skillset and determined mentality — both of which are so great that All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams sometimes forgets how young the 24-year-old actually is.

“No, I didn’t talk to him about that. I forget he’s a rookie sometimes,” Williams told reporters this week when asked if he spoke to Puni ahead of the rookie’s first NFL road game against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. “He’s just so mature for his age. But yeah, I’m pretty sure we’ll have time to discuss it. He’s so ahead of the curve, though, he probably don’t need much from me.”

It’s almost a guarantee that Puni would welcome whatever advice he can get from the best offensive tackle in the game, but Williams’ praise speaks volumes to how the young guard is adjusting to life in the NFL. And Puni’s efforts are showing up on the field, too.

Puni’s performance in the 49ers’ 32-19 win over the New York Jets in Week 1 earned him a postgame locker room visit from Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Patrick Willis, and Williams took note of how the rookie was able to perform not only physically, but mentally beyond his years during the season opener.

“I didn’t notice anything. He’s on the other side, so it’s kind of hard for me to keep up with everything, you know, all the intricate stuff he was going through, but I didn’t notice anything,” Williams said of how Puni handled his first NFL game. “The film looked good. He communicated well on the sideline, letting the coach know what he’s seeing.

“Sometimes, that can be the hardest part for a rookie to be able to come back and give that information that you’re seeing on the field in real time. He did a great job doing that, so I think he’s OK.”

Behind Williams (81.6 overall), Puni received the 49ers’ second-highest PFF grade along the offensive line at 79.1 overall. The 49ers ran the ball four times to the right behind Puni, per PFF, and those plays averaged 5.3 yards before contact, with two moving the chains. Puni also earned a 77.7 pass-blocking grade and a 74.6 run-blocking grade in his NFL debut.

Both Puni’s quick ascension and Williams’ admiration for the rookie haven’t gone unnoticed by 49ers general manager/president of football operations John Lynch, as he shared with KNBR on Friday.

“I thought he was tremendous,” Lynch said of Puni’s Week 1 performance. “It wouldn’t be fair to him to just say steady, because he’s been more than steady. It was fun watching Trent’s reaction. Trent isn’t easily impressed … and Trent came in and it was like, ‘Damn!’ He kept saying that, like this kid really gets it.

“And I think he’s got a calm about him, but then he’s got some really, really good ability, strength, movement, all of it. And we really liked him coming out of school. and part of it [was] he wasn’t fazed by anything. He played all five positions at Kansas and he did it well, but I would tell you … you see things on film, and then there’s guys who look even better in person.

“He’s one of those guys.”

It’s a huge credit to the 49ers’ front office for finding and drafting a player like Puni, who has provided an instant boost to San Francisco’s offensive line. And it’s also a testament to offensive line coach/run game coordinator Chris Foerster for getting the rookie up to speed so quickly.

But none of it would be possible without Puni’s dedication to the game and eagerness to make an impact in his first season. As Sunday’s tilt against the Vikings approaches, the 49ers certainly hope Puni’s early success continues in Week 2.

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