SANTA CLARA – The 49ers rarely ask a rookie offensive lineman to open the season as a starter, but Dominick Bonnie could change that trend.
The 2024 third-round pick was in the spotlight after Bonnie was injured in training camp. Bonnie is expected to be the first rookie to start on the 49ers’ offensive line in a Week 1 game since 2018, when first-round pick Mike McGlinchey made his debut at right guard.
In an exclusive interview with NBC Sports Bay Area, Bonney shared how he was able to take on a crucial role as one of the team’s newest members.
“Keeping up with the game plan is probably the most important thing. The more confident you are in what you’re doing, the faster you’re going to play, so that’s how it’s been so far,” Bonney told NBC Sports Bay Area.
Bonnie’s position partner John Feliciano recently underwent knee surgery, which will keep the veteran goaltender out of action until midseason. Spencer Burford broke his hand during training camp and returned this week to participate in individual drills. Aaron Banks broke his pinky finger, but coach Kyle Shanahan hopes the left guard can return by Week 1.
While injuries aren’t ideal, the situation has allowed Bonnie to get plenty of reps during preseason practices and games in San Francisco. The versatile lineman was on the field for 45% of the team’s offensive snaps in the 49ers’ first preseason game and 58% the following week.
One of the reasons Bonney was able to adapt so quickly was the extra work he put in between rookie camp and training camp. During the break, the rookie watched every meeting of offensive line coach Chris Forrester to get ahead of his report in July.
“I just wanted to get as much information as I could on the offense,” Bonney said. “When I got to rookie camp, I felt like I just wanted to progress and not just learn everything. [I wanted to] “I tried to avoid simple mistakes that I could have avoided if I had watched the film early. That’s all I tried to do, just get to work early.”
Bonney’s diligence did not go unnoticed by Forster, who was informed that the lineman had requested all of the coach’s “teaching meetings” and corrections immediately after his selection.
“He wanted to go to every single meeting,” Forrester said. “By the time he got to rookie camp, which I think was two weeks after the draft, he had seen all of my draft meetings from Phase 1 and Phase 2 and everything we had done up to that point.”
“And he answers all the questions right. He’s a very smart kid. He doesn’t mince his words. Very smart. Very strong. He doesn’t flinch. He’s just a steady Eddie. But he works very hard and is very diligent.” I don’t think I’ve ever dealt with an offensive lineman – I know I couldn’t sit through all those meetings – he took it and absorbed it. It’s very good for him.
Bonnie has a slight advantage because of his football experience at Kansas, where he ran a similar offense. While the 24-year-old noted that Shanahan’s game plan was the most difficult he’s had to learn yet, there were familiar aspects of the system.
The young lineman’s work won’t stop anytime soon. Bonney understands the commitment the club made by selecting him with the 86th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
“Personally, I feel that when you choose someone, they choose you for a reason, so I’m going to do my best,” Bonnie said. “They’re trusting me by choosing me, so I’m going to give them everything I’ve got. I don’t want them to feel like they made a mistake.”
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