Notre Dame Football: Could the 49ers have an Irish right side of the OL?
By Brad Weiss
The Notre Dame Football program is known for producing elite offensive linemen, and one NFL team could have two of them starting on the right side in 2021.
With the No. 9 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers selected Notre Dame football star, Mike McGlinchey. Starting right away as a rookie, McGlinchey has been a mainstay in the 49ers’ starting lineup for the past three seasons, missing only four games due to a knee injury during the 2019 campaign.
This past offseason, the 49ers picked up his fifth-year option, so he is not going anywhere, and in 2021, another member of the Irish will join him along the offensive line in the Bay Area. That player is Aaron Banks, who San Francisco selected with the No. 48 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
In Banks, the 49ers are getting another All-American talent from Notre Dame, and a player who has the size, strength, and agility to come in and start right away. During his time with the Irish, Banks allowed only two sacks in his entire career, a staggering statistic by any means.
Notre Dame Football stars could dot the right side of the 49ers OL
In 2021, the 49ers could decide to roll with both players starting along their offensive line, as Banks is sure to creep up the depth chart this summer. They did not draft him in the second round to have him sit around and watch, and if he does start, it may have to be on the right side to start, putting him right next to McGlinchey.
That would make for an All-Notre Dame football right side of the offensive line, which would be another testament to how good this program is at adding offensive line talent to the NFL landscape.
The Irish losing Banks is a tough blow to their offensive line, but there are some solid replacements, including a true freshman in Rocco Spindler. However, this is a great get for the 49ers, who will be looking to do everything they can to keep Jimmy Garoppolo upright in 2021.
Banks has the talent to step in and be a starter right away, and McGlinchey is firmly entrenched as the team’s right tackle. If the 49ers want to get back to being one of the best in the NFC, they will need to protect Jimmy G, and if Banks and McGlinchey start on the right side, he will have a dominant tandem protecting his front.