Dominick Puni is quietly winning 49ers' starting right guard position

Thanks to both injuries and some promising play in training camp, rookie Dominick Puni could find himself in a position to start this season at right guard.

Over the last few years, the San Francisco 49ers have developed a habit of drafting not for immediate needs but rather for needs that'll arise in a year's time.

Case in point, first-round rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall likely makes his impact in 2025, thanks to the duo of Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk already being present. And cornerback Renardo Green, taken in Round 2, finds himself behind Charvarius Ward, Deommodore Lenoir and Isaac Yiadom on the depth chart.

However, the Niners' third-round pick, Kansas offensive lineman Dominick Puni, might find himself in a starting bid right away.

And the early results from training camp are suggesting as much.

The 6-foot-5, 313-pound lineman who primarily played tackle at the collegiate level is bumping inside to guard, and the long-term prognosis suggests he'll be an eventual replacement for left tackle Aaron Banks, who's entering a contract year.

But the right guard spot remains up for grabs, and that's where Puni could seize his chance.

Door is wide open for Dominick Puni to start at right guard

Veteran linemen Spencer Burford and Jon Feliciano were originally ticketed to be the favorites to battle it out at right guard for the No. 1 spot on the depth chart, but injuries have allowed Puni to get some extra opportunities.

Burford, who is dealing with a broken hand, could require surgery and will nevertheless miss about three weeks. Feliciano, meanwhile, has been missing camp practices with a knee injury.

That's given Puni plenty of opportunities to run with the first-team offensive line, and observations on the rookie so far have been favorable.

Burford hasn't quite solidified himself as a full-time starter, as evidenced by platooning with Feliciano last season, and the latter is entering a contract year anyway. Additionally, San Francisco might be convinced to keep Feliciano in an uber-backup role, not unlike what it did with former lineman Daniel Brunskill in previous years before he left the team in 2023.

More importantly, though, Puni is getting those coveted first-team reps and seems to be making the most of them.

As long as Burford and Feliciano miss time, Puni's stock could only rise, giving him an inside track to start right away once the regular season begins.

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