Dominick Puni still is blown away by Fred Warner's praise through 49ers training camp this summer.
Speaking to reporters after practice Tuesday, Puni was asked by NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco if he was surprised by Warner’s positive comments.
“Yeah it did,” Puni said. “That’s a crazy compliment from a heck of a player. All my friends and family saw it too and kept telling me ‘This is crazy.'
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“So yeah this is something I’m going to look back on when I’m done with football and just be like ‘Wow.’ This guy's probably going to be a Hall of Famer, so the fact that he's saying that about me is really cool.”
"This guy's probably going to be a Hall of Famer, so the fact that he's saying that about me is really cool."
— 49ers on NBCS (@NBCS49ers) August 20, 2024
Dominick Puni was in awe hearing Fred Warner praise him 🥹 pic.twitter.com/7l30BVoQOI
Puni was selected by the 49ers with the No. 86 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and appears to be in contention for a starting position on San Francisco’s offensive line. The rookie’s ascent came at an opportune time as starting offensive linemen Spencer Burford and Jon Feliciano dealt with injury issues in recent weeks.
Pass protection was something the San Francisco front office wanted to focus on in the draft as quarterback Brock Purdy struggled against the fearsome pass rush of the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII, and it appears that Puni could be the missing piece.
San Francisco 49ers
The rookie looked solid in last weekend's preseason game against the New Orleans Saints, putting him in position to start the team’s Week 1 matchup against the New York Jets at Levi’s Stadium on Sept. 5.