Notre Dame football: 49ers expert on Aaron Banks heading into camp
By Brad Weiss
Notre Dame football star Aaron Banks is looking to start from Day 1 in San Francisco, and we sat down with a 49ers expert to discuss the second-round pick.
The Notre Dame football team saw three of their four starting offensive linemen from last season get drafted in the 2021 NFL Draft, with two of them going in the second round. After Liam Eichenberg was the first member of the Irish off the board, going No. 42 to the Miami Dolphins, Aaron Banks would be selected six picks later at No. 48 overall to the San Francisco 49ers.
After an All-American season with the Irish, Banks was widely considered one of the top interior offensive linemen in this draft class, and will now head to the Bay Area to carve out a professional career. He was outstanding with the Irish and will be expected to help a 49ers team that took a big step backward in 2020.
For Banks, the next step is earning a starting job.
Former Notre Dame football star battling for a starting role as a rookie
Peter Panacy, an incredibly talented site expert for NinerNoise.com, FanSided’s San Francisco 49ers team site, had this to say about Banks as the rookie heads to camp this summer.
"The 49ers using a second-round NFL Draft pick on Aaron Banks suggests they’re fully intending to make him a full-time starter as soon as possible. While Banks is more of a power mover and will need to adjust a bit to their zone-style system, the Niners clearly wanted to make pass protection more of an emphasis, and Banks does that well."
However, Panacy also stated that Banks is not walking in as the starter, and could be in for a battle all summer long.
"He won’t simply be handed a starting job at right guard, though, as veteran Daniel Brunskill stands in his way. Nevertheless, this should be one of the key position battles to take place during training camp."
Rookies should always have to fight for a starting job, and Brunskill started all 16 games for the 49ers last season. Competition brings out the best in all athletes, and for Banks, he is going to be pushed all summer long.
Whether he breaks camp as the starter or not, the fact is, the 49ers are heavily invested in Banks, and he figures to be an anchor for their offensive line for years to come. Banks was an absolute mauler during his time with the Irish, and there is no reason he won’t bring the same level of dominance at the next level.
We thank Peter for taking the time to talk with us. You can follow him on Twitter at @PeterPanacy, and follow all his work at NinerNoise.com.