Which 49ers Rookie Will Join Trey Lance in Taking a Leap in 2022?

Trey Lance is the obvious choice to make the biggest leap next season, but which other 49ers rookie will join him?

Elijah Mitchell was the premier rookie for the 49ers in 2021.

Outside of him, there wasn't really another stellar rookie out of the 2021 draft class for the 49ers. Ambry Thomas eventually became a starter, but he is still a raw product. Talanoa Hufanga had flashes, but nothing more than that. 

This draft class was underwhelming for the 49ers and it's mainly because Trey Lance sat out the year. Next season, however, Lance is going to take an enormous leap. He is going from backup quarterback to starter for a Super Bowl caliber team in an instance. 

But which other 49ers rookie will join Lance in taking a leap in 2022?

I am banking on Aaron Banks (see what I did there?). 

Now, this does not mean I expect Banks to be a great player. How I am judging it is based off of Banks taking a redshirt year. The 49ers basically had him on the shelf like a stuffed animal, never to be thought of again. Of all the rookies from 2021, Banks surely was at the bottom. And for a second-round draft pick, that isn't ideal.

Since the 49ers did draft him with a fairly high pick, I would expect he gets to become a starter next season. The 49ers likely won't gift him the starting role, but will surely do whatever it takes to catapult him into that position to make it easier to name him one. Whether he starts at left guard should Laken Tomlinson leave in free agency, or start at right guard over Daniel Brunskill, Banks will hit major strides next season.

The 49ers will do all they can to ensure they did not whiff on such a high pick, especially with an offensive lineman. He is tasked with protecting the greatest draft pick in 49ers history in Trey Lance after all. 

Other rookies are sure to take leaps of their own and help the 49ers, but Banks is the one I would bet to make the biggest and most surprising.