The 2024 Senior Bowl will provide an opportunity for NFL draft prospects to prove themselves on the largest pre-draft stage. Kansas offensive tackle Dominick Puni plans on taking full advantage. Puni recently spoke exclusively with the Senior Bowl and Draft Network to discuss his motivation for accepting his invitation to compete in Mobile, Alabama.
Puni also discussed what he's striving to prove to NFL general managers and scouts in attendance at the Senior Bowl, playing D-II football, receiving zero FBS or FCS offers, and more. Let's get to know Puni better ahead of his journey to the Senior Bowl.
JM: Where were you when you found out about your Senior Bowl invite and what was your initial reaction?
Dominick Puni: Jim Nagy actually came out to Kansas to hand me my invite in person. They told me to come back to the facility after practice. I didn’t really know why (laughs). I walked into the office and Jim Nagy was there waiting for me. It was so cool to know he came to personally hand me an invite. That meant a lot to me.
My initial reaction, I was shocked. I was like wow, Jim Nagy actually came to my school. I was really excited to get that Senior Bowl invite.
JM: What motivated you to accept the Senior Bowl’s offer?
Dominick Puni: I know the best of the best is going to be in attendance. Throughout my career, I don’t feel like I’ve received an opportunity to showcase the full range of my abilities. I’m going to get that opportunity at the Senior Bowl.
I’m looking forward to the challenge. Getting that invite to the Senior Bowl is something every kid dreams about. Growing up playing football, you always hear about the Senior Bowl. All of that factored into my decision to accept the invite.
JM: What are you hoping to prove to NFL general managers, coaching staffs, and scouts in attendance in Mobile?
Dominick Puni: The first thing I’m looking to prove is that I can play every position on the offensive line. I can play tackle, guard, and center. I just want to prove that I’m one of the best players in college football. I feel like I deserve to be mentioned with the best of the best. I’m ready to showcase it.
JM: You played four seasons at D-II program Central Missouri before transferring to Kansas. You had zero FBS or FCS offers coming out of high school. What a crazy story. How do you reflect on the journey?
Dominick Puni: It’s funny, I don’t feel like I’ve really had time to reflect on it yet (laughs). It’s been one thing after another. It’s crazy. When I first entered the transfer portal, I didn’t know what the outcome was going to be. Honestly, I just wanted to play Power 5 football and prove that I could do it at that level. I wanted to prove it to myself.
JM: How would you describe your skill set in your own words? Self-scout yourself.
Dominick Puni: If I had to quickly summarize, I would say that I’m athletic and versatile. No matter what, no matter how I do the job, I’m going to get it done. It doesn't always look pretty. The job gets done. That’s my approach to every single rep, to get the job done by any means necessary.
JM: You've played both guard and tackle. I imagine you'll play both in Mobile. You also mentioned center. What position do you see yourself ultimately playing in the NFL?
Dominick Puni: If I had to pick one, I’d probably say guard. I think I’ll end up as a guard at the next level. I’m comfortable playing every position though. I’ve played left tackle more than anything in college. I’ve dabbled at guard. I played guard last year. I played center during spring ball. I’ve gotten the hang of it. I’m comfortable with every position.
JM: If you had to compare yourself to a current NFL offensive lineman, who would you choose and why?
Dominick Puni: That’s a tough question. I don’t even know. I don’t want to compare myself to one of the greats (laughs). Remember when I said my game is all about getting the job done? I feel like Trent Williams does that but in a very special way. His technique is different from most. Obviously, he’s a freak athlete, too. He gets the job done in different ways. I definitely look up to Trent Williams. That’s my favorite player right there.
JM: He’s an all-time great. What can you achieve at the Senior Bowl that you can’t at other pre-draft events?
Dominick Puni: I’m excited to compete against the best players in college football. I’ve been paying attention to who’s accepted invites across the offensive and defensive lines. It’s looking like it’s going to be a stacked year in Mobile. You can’t get that anywhere else. I’m so excited to display my talents.
JM: What’s on Dominick Puni’s pre-game playlist?
Dominick Puni: A lot actually. I definitely have a bunch of Drake on there. AC/DC, I do rock, rap, you name it. Lil’ Baby and Eminem are on my playlist as well.
JM: I didn’t expect that to go from Drake to AC/DC.
Dominick Puni: I know, right? (laughs). I definitely have some rock songs on my playlist. My favorite song is probably “Kickstart My Heart” by Motley Crue.
JM: Your playlist is as versatile as you are. At the end of the week, what does a successful Senior Bowl look like for Dominick Puni?
Dominick Puni: Honestly, it’s all about me putting my best foot forward. I’m not going to leave anything on the table. That’s all I can control. I’m going to give it everything I have.
