Standout rookie named 49ers top player to watch in preseason opener
There's a wealth of new faces in San Francisco thanks to their 11 selections in the 2025 NFL draft. One 49ers rookie that folks are starting to get excited about is cornerback Upton Stout.
San Francisco scooped up Stout in the third round out of Western Kentucky. The 5-foot-9, 181-pound corner has been turning heads with his 1-on-1 work.
Stout has been so impressive that 49ers general manager John Lynch hasn't minded doling out a comparison to a Hall of Famer.
Pro Football Network agrees. PFN listed Stout as the 49ers' one must-watch player during their Saturday night preseason tilt against the Denver Broncos.
The San Francisco 49ers have undergone a mass exodus this offseason, with several key players moving on to other teams. Charvarious Ward was one of those stars, leaving a gaping hole at cornerback. Luckily for the 49ers, third-round rookie Upton Stout has been excelling this offseason.
Spending most of his time with the first team, Stout has been making plays throughout the summer after regularly doing so for Western Kentucky over the past two years. Stout proved his ability to be a menace in coverage and to blow plays up in the backfield.
Don't be surprised to hear his name multiple times when the 49ers face Denver on Saturday night. - Pro Football Network.
Stout made 34 starts and appeared in 45 games over five seasons at North Texas (2020-21) and Western Kentucky (2022-24), tallying 166 tackles, 21 passes defensed, 10 tackles for loss, six interceptions (two returned for touchdowns), 1.5 sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
Stout was a first-team All-Conference USA selection after notching 52 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, two pass breakups and one interception, which he returned for a score.
If Stout can provide an immediate jolt in the 49ers' secondary, that would go a long ways toward reestablishing San Francisco as an NFC West and Super Bowl contender.
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