When the San Francisco 49ers need to get things moving on the ground – when they’re faced with those short-yardage, got-to-have-it situations – they’re almost always running to the left side.
With a four-time All-Pro and future Hall of Famer at left tackle, can you really blame them? Trent Williams, a 13-year NFL veteran, is a mountain of a man best known for moving other large men backward. But he doesn’t do it alone. In fact, the player lined up to his right over the past two seasons is beginning to make a name for himself.
He’s Aaron Banks, and he’s here to maul you.
Three seasons and 35 starts into his NFL career, Banks is the big-bodied and bruising left guard the 49ers were searching for when they took him 48th overall in the 2021 NFL draft. The 6-foot-5, 325-pound lineman earned the nickname “Dancing Bear” at Notre Dame for his agility and aggressiveness playing alongside fellow 2021 NFL draftees Liam Eichenberg (42nd overall, Miami) and Robert Hainsey (95th overall, Tampa Bay).
On Saturdays in South Bend, Banks was a bully. In Santa Clara, some 40 miles south of his hometown of Alameda, he developed into a methodical technician with deceptive speed. He has fine-tuned his game to acclimate to coach Kyle Shanahan’s zone-run-heavy offense, where guards are expected to do more than just line up and get after the man in front of them. It’s about pulling across the formation, getting to and sustaining long reach blocks, racing into the open field on screens, and putting to memory an intricate encyclopedia of play calls and pass protections on a weekly basis.
“It’s just not something you see a lot in college,” 49ers center Jake Brendel said. “So it does take a long time to get a grasp of that technique, get a grasp of that coaching style and that sort of thing.”
Five snaps in a blowout win in Jacksonville was the extent of Banks’ involvement in the 49ers’ offense during his rookie year. A preseason shoulder injury kept him sidelined for the team’s first eight games of 2021, and when he returned, his action was limited to a handful of weekly special teams snaps. The coaching staff preferred veterans Laken Tomlinson and Daniel Brunskill to fill the two starting guard spots as the club made a push to the NFC Championship Game.
This left Banks with plenty of time to ponder about his future and his long-term role with the franchise. Was he doing enough to earn himself a starting spot?
“It was difficult,” Banks said. “I had higher aspirations for myself, so to say. But I had to look in the mirror and say, ‘OK, what am I doing that’s not allowing myself to start, to play, to be on the field to help this team win?’ And so, you talk about a turning point, it was really just sitting down, looking at myself and being honest with where I was at.”
That introspection and self-assessment quickly morphed into a renewed motivation to put in extra work. It meant regular meetings with strength coaches and nutritionists to reshape his body to perform at the highest level. When Tomlinson left for the New York Jets in free agency, Banks’ efforts took him from unprepared rookie to starting left guard by the 2022 season opener.
“I just took advantage of every day,” he said.
San Francisco 49ers guard Aaron Banks (65), center, participates in drills during a practice session at the 49ers practice facility at Levi Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Thursday, July 28, 2022. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)
Alongside Williams, Banks quickly became a key piece of the 49ers’ top rushing attack – one that was elevated to a whole new level when Christian McCaffrey came to town that October. The pair used their size and quickness to open up large holes for the All-Pro running back, and give their young quarterback, Brock Purdy, reliable protection on his blindside.
“You got two pretty large, pretty strong, athletic guys,” Banks said. “And I think when you get the one-two punch, I think it’s a pretty good combination. I think we’re a good tag team for sure.”
For former El Cerrito High School football head coach Kenny Kahn, it wasn’t a surprise that Banks was able to overcome a disappointing opening act.
“Tell Aaron what he can’t do, and he’ll show you that he’ll do that and then some,” Kahn said on a phone call last week.
A multi-year athlete in both football and basketball, Banks excelled at each sport and won multiple section titles for the Gauchos. On grass, he was violent and unrelenting. On hardwood, he had finesse. He wasn’t just a physical presence in the post or on the boards; Banks had the footwork and the shooting touch of a complete offensive weapon. Banks averaged more than 10 points and nearly six rebounds a game in his junior season.
This foundational basketball background translated well on the gridiron and has come in especially handy in Shanahan’s complex run scheme. Footwork, vision, hand-eye coordination are all skills in high demand in an outside zone-oriented system. It’s no coincidence that those are some of Williams’ greatest strengths, as well.
When Banks and Williams get rolling downhill on opposing defenses, they can be a particularly terrifying tandem to deal with. That’s something 49ers run game coordinator and offensive line coach Chris Foerster, knows well. A veteran coach known for his honesty and attention to detail, Foerster has had a large influence on Banks’ development since he first arrived in Santa Clara. But he certainly hasn’t been the only one.
“Trent has been a big help in that,” Foerster said of Banks’ emergence on the offensive line. “Just how to look at the game, how to see the game. Trent’s at such a high, high level of understanding of the game, how to approach each week and each player. And he’s teaching Aaron how to do that.”
It’s no surprise that practicing and playing alongside one of the best offensive tackles in all of football has stimulated Banks’ growth. Few players have been through as much as Williams over his 13-year NFL career. The wisdom he imparts to Banks and young linemates Spencer Burford and Colton McKivitz is particularly valuable. For Banks, it’s Williams’ selflessness that makes him such a respected teammate.
“He wants to help the guys around him get better,” Banks said of Williams. “I believe that, for the o-line, you’re only as strong as your weakest link, and I think he believes that as well.”
Related Articles
49ers’ game-by-game recap en route to Super Bowl LVIII
Kurtenbach: Kyle Shanahan has nothing but time, but for him, the time is now
No longer Mr. Irrelevant, 49ers’ Brock Purdy is more than ‘Mr. Perfectly Fine’
49ers’ 5 keys to beating Chiefs and winning Super Bowl LVIII
Harry and Meghan’s reported Super Bowl appearance likely to fuel theories about Harry’s quick trip to see sick father
Banks has remained connected with the El Cerrito High community since his time as a student, when he was involved with the Culture Keepers Academy, a program that trained student leaders in trauma-informed practices and dynamic mindfulness and paired them with struggling classmates to support them outside of the classroom.
According to Kahn, Banks frequently contributes to local school fundraisers and other initiatives that impact the El Cerrito community.
“If I had three hours, I probably wouldn’t be able to tell you enough,” Kahn said. “But Aaron has that heart of gold. He loves the people around him. He takes care of the people around him. He’s appreciative and will always show up for them.”
As an ascending pro about to start in his first Super Bowl, he carries that same mindset that first saw him use his platform as a student-athlete to help others.
“It’s huge to be a part of the community for me, especially being in the community that I came up in,” Banks said. “So being able to give back to that is awesome.”
A proud Bay Area native, Banks is one day away from playing on football’s biggest stage for the Bay Area’s team.
San Francisco 49ers’ Brandon Aiyuk (11) and San Francisco 49ers’ Aaron Banks (65) celebrate Aiyuk’s touchdown in the third quarter of their NFC Championship Game against the Detroit Lions at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Jan. 28, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
