As Dominick Puni's long, unlikely college career nears its end, the Kansas offensive lineman collected some capstone honors recently.
Puni, a Francis Howell Central graduate, made The Associated Press all-Big 12 first team last week. Not long before, he was named a first-teamer by league coaches.
The starter at left tackle for the Jayhawks didn't allow a quarterback sack in 745 snaps. His pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus ranked third among bowl subdivision tackles.
His blocking helped propel a Kansas rushing attack that was in the top 10 in the nation at 211 yards per game.
Puni, of Samoan ancestry, was also recently named a finalist for Polynesian Player of the Year.
The award is presented annually by the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame to the most outstanding college football player of Polynesian ancestry who epitomizes great ability and integrity.
People are also reading…
But perhaps most importantly, Puni's play has given him a chance at the NFL.
He was earlier this year named one of Pro Football Network's .
named Puni the seventh-best interior offensive lineman in its NFL draft projections.
Puni began his college career way back in 2018 at Division II Central Missouri, later transferring to Kansas, where he's been the past two seasons.
Between the COVID pandemic canceling the 2020 Division II season and an injury Puni suffered in 2021, he only played one game over the course of two seasons with the Mules.
Puni and the Jayhawks (8-4) face UNLV (9-4) on Dec. 26 in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl in Phoenix.