Dominick Puni, OG - Kansas - 3rd Round 2024 NFL Draft

Originally posted by Cisco0623:
Puni is a find and will help our bad center and RT.

Puni was pick number 86 in the draft. I'd love for the 49ers to use their talent evaluation advantage to trade down that first round pick and get possibly two more 2nd round picks, making next years draft with Three 2nd round picks and getting another DT/DE *and* Two offensive linemen, maybe a Left Tackle and a Center.

They've recently hit on Banks and Puni, and were able to develop Feliciano, Brendel and McKivitz. Burford is still in the mix, and Jaylon Moore is serviceable. I'd love to have more talent at the center and left tackle position by this time next year.

Originally posted by Giedi:

Originally posted by Cisco0623:
Puni is a find and will help our bad center and RT.

Puni was pick number 86 in the draft. I'd love for the 49ers to use their talent evaluation advantage to trade down that first round pick and get possibly two more 2nd round picks, making next years draft with Three 2nd round picks and getting another DT/DE *and* Two offensive linemen, maybe a Left Tackle and a Center.

They've recently hit on Banks and Puni, and were able to develop Feliciano, Brendel and McKivitz. Burford is still in the mix, and Jaylon Moore is serviceable. I'd love to have more talent at the center and left tackle position by this time next year.

That would be a good trade. I don't think next yers draft is supposed to be loaded with top tackles like this year was so trading back and getting an extra ick makes sense. The players they get with those picks could be as good as anyone they would pick with a late 1st round pick.

Originally posted by CatchMaster80:

Originally posted by Giedi:

Originally posted by Cisco0623:
Puni is a find and will help our bad center and RT.

Puni was pick number 86 in the draft. I'd love for the 49ers to use their talent evaluation advantage to trade down that first round pick and get possibly two more 2nd round picks, making next years draft with Three 2nd round picks and getting another DT/DE *and* Two offensive linemen, maybe a Left Tackle and a Center.

They've recently hit on Banks and Puni, and were able to develop Feliciano, Brendel and McKivitz. Burford is still in the mix, and Jaylon Moore is serviceable. I'd love to have more talent at the center and left tackle position by this time next year.

That would be a good trade. I don't think next yers draft is supposed to be loaded with top tackles like this year was so trading back and getting an extra ick makes sense. The players they get with those picks could be as good as anyone they would pick with a late 1st round pick.

Agree 💯% ❗

I just looked at some preliminary reports and they pretty much say the same thing as you, with regards to the '25 Offensive Line crop. It is what it is, but with the 49ers being able to spot talent in the later rounds (Puni/Mitchell/Purdy), why *not* trade down and get more picks in the later rounds.

Losing Kingston because they didn't have room for him sucks, but I'd rather have that, than having no talent on the OLine and having to scramble to get guys like Drake Nugent and Ilm Manning because you don't have enough talent.

Our line isn't really that terrible anymore. Teams don't have 5/5 perfect starters. Who are all stars. It just doesn't happen. We have the best (TW), very good (Banks - when healthy), looks to be outstanding so far (Puni - huge draft steal). We realistically have 3/5 good or great. That's more than most teams. The major weakness is gone (Burford). All McKivitz has to do is lean a bit outside. Because Puni has the inside stunts covered. If McKivitz would concentrate more on the outside speed rush I think that would help us. Because inside we are covered. Also our Center is pretty protected with two good Guards around him. You always want perfect and better. But this offensive line isn't really that bad anymore. The problem is it's thin. We saw what happened when TW was out last year.

Originally posted by SanDiego49er:

Our line isn't really that terrible anymore. Teams don't have 5/5 perfect starters. Who are all stars. It just doesn't happen. We have the best (TW), very good (Banks - when healthy), looks to be outstanding so far (Puni - huge draft steal). We realistically have 3/5 good or great. That's more than most teams. The major weakness is gone (Burford). All McKivitz has to do is lean a bit outside. Because Puni has the inside stunts covered. If McKivitz would concentrate more on the outside speed rush I think that would help us. Because inside we are covered. Also our Center is pretty protected with two good Guards around him. You always want perfect and better. But this offensive line isn't really that bad anymore. The problem is it's thin. We saw what happened when TW was out last year.

Counter points:
- Cap constraints means we need to invest in succession planning. Banks will be a FA, and he's an above average guard that will likely get $12M AAV on the market. Moore, decent depth, will be a FA and will want a more prominent role.

- Age is now a growing concern. Trent is getting up there and we should treat him as a YoY question market. Brendel is OK, but we should always look for an upgrade when feasible.

- Depth is a huge question market, especially with our upcoming FAs. Remove Banks and Moore, and we are razor thin at starters and backups.

Originally posted by GEEK:

Originally posted by SanDiego49er:
Our line isn't really that terrible anymore. Teams don't have 5/5 perfect starters. Who are all stars. It just doesn't happen. We have the best (TW), very good (Banks - when healthy), looks to be outstanding so far (Puni - huge draft steal). We realistically have 3/5 good or great. That's more than most teams. The major weakness is gone (Burford). All McKivitz has to do is lean a bit outside. Because Puni has the inside stunts covered. If McKivitz would concentrate more on the outside speed rush I think that would help us. Because inside we are covered. Also our Center is pretty protected with two good Guards around him. You always want perfect and better. But this offensive line isn't really that bad anymore. The problem is it's thin. We saw what happened when TW was out last year.

Counter points:
- Cap constraints means we need to invest in succession planning. Banks will be a FA, and he's an above average guard that will likely get $12M AAV on the market. Moore, decent depth, will be a FA and will want a more prominent role.

- Age is now a growing concern. Trent is getting up there and we should treat him as a YoY question market. Brendel is OK, but we should always look for an upgrade when feasible.

- Depth is a huge question market, especially with our upcoming FAs. Remove Banks and Moore, and we are razor thin at starters and backups.

Yeah I agree with all of those. Which is why we should keep trying to add more in the draft and FA. Even keep some of our own if the cap allows.

Originally posted by NYniner85:

It's just a one-game sample size but the 49ers ran to the right on 64% of their runs in Week 1, per nfelo @greerreNFL

In 2023, they ran to the right the least of any team (41%).

Is this the Dominick Puni effect?

— Steph Sanchez (@Steph49K) September 11, 2024

Yeah it's the Puni effect. He's an outstanding run blocker. Just about as good of a pass blocker too. We got a 1st rounder in the 3rd round. Incredible for this team. We need offensive line help. No more busts and too late of picks. We really lucked out with this one.

Originally posted by SanDiego49er:

Originally posted by GEEK:

Originally posted by SanDiego49er:
Our line isn't really that terrible anymore. Teams don't have 5/5 perfect starters. Who are all stars. It just doesn't happen. We have the best (TW), very good (Banks - when healthy), looks to be outstanding so far (Puni - huge draft steal). We realistically have 3/5 good or great. That's more than most teams. The major weakness is gone (Burford). All McKivitz has to do is lean a bit outside. Because Puni has the inside stunts covered. If McKivitz would concentrate more on the outside speed rush I think that would help us. Because inside we are covered. Also our Center is pretty protected with two good Guards around him. You always want perfect and better. But this offensive line isn't really that bad anymore. The problem is it's thin. We saw what happened when TW was out last year.

Counter points:
- Cap constraints means we need to invest in succession planning. Banks will be a FA, and he's an above average guard that will likely get $12M AAV on the market. Moore, decent depth, will be a FA and will want a more prominent role.

- Age is now a growing concern. Trent is getting up there and we should treat him as a YoY question market. Brendel is OK, but we should always look for an upgrade when feasible.

- Depth is a huge question market, especially with our upcoming FAs. Remove Banks and Moore, and we are razor thin at starters and backups.

Yeah I agree with all of those. Which is why we should keep trying to add more in the draft and FA. Even keep some of our own if the cap allows.

Yeah, if we can get a replacement for Trent Williams (easier said than done, of course) that's a theoretical cap savings of 35 million in 2026. That can pay for half of Purdy's salary. ShanaLych have been lucky/great at finding a franchise QB in Purdy, a franchise RB in Mason, and a franchise guard in Puni. Hope it continues with a left tackle in the draft next year.

What we saw on MNF is Kyle and Foerster OL philosophy.

It's always gonna be running blocking > pass blocking for them. Once they establish the run game, it's all play-action and finding mismatches. The scheme protects the pass-blocking deficiencies.

Brendel still sucks ass and is awful in true pass sets. I'd say the only guy that's really good at that is Trent. Not sure about Puni yet.

When we get behind in games and are forced to use a more straight up drop back passing game, things get much much worse for them as pass-blockers.

They need to start developing legit OT & center talent.

Originally posted by Giedi:
Puni was pick number 86 in the draft. I'd love for the 49ers to use their talent evaluation advantage to trade down that first round pick and get possibly two more 2nd round picks, making next years draft with Three 2nd round picks and getting another DT/DE *and* Two offensive linemen, maybe a Left Tackle and a Center.

They've recently hit on Banks and Puni, and were able to develop Feliciano, Brendel and McKivitz. Burford is still in the mix, and Jaylon Moore is serviceable. I'd love to have more talent at the center and left tackle position by this time next year.

I'm "All-in" on that one

Originally posted by NYniner85:

It's just a one-game sample size but the 49ers ran to the right on 64% of their runs in Week 1, per nfelo @greerreNFL

In 2023, they ran to the right the least of any team (41%).

Is this the Dominick Puni effect?

— Steph Sanchez (@Steph49K) September 11, 2024

Both Puni and Kinlaw being on that side probably played a role. Jets tried to move Quinnen around a bit but I believe he played most of the game on the right (so to the Niners left) and it's almost a crime to not run at Kinlaw with the way he can be pushed out of run plays.

LOL. Puni blocking 2 guys on one play and Brendal standing there watching him.

Originally posted by SanDiego49er:
LOL. Puni blocking 2 guys on one play and Brendal standing there watching him.

That was awesome