Notre Dame Fighting Irish offensive lineman Aaron Banks (69) Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
The 49ers are hoping Aaron Banks, their second-round pick from the 2021 NFL Draft, turns into a plug-and-play starter at guard this season.
Some may have been a bit shocked when the San Francisco 49ers passed on a cornerback or even a wide receiver in Round 2 of the 2021 NFL Draft, instead electing to go with Notre Dame offensive guard Aaron Banks at No. 48 overall instead.
Yet the transaction followed a theme the Niners had been engineering much of the offseason: improve and reinforce the offensive line.