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Upton Stout

Upton Stout Player Profile

Summary

Upton Stout is a highly competitive, instinctive young cornerback who has built his reputation on playmaking, toughness, and film study rather than pure size or elite length. After beginning his college career at North Texas, where he saw action early as a freshman, he transferred to Western Kentucky. At WKU he developed into one of the most productive cornerbacks in Conference USA — finishing his final season with 52 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, a sack and an interception, earning First-Team All-CUSA honors. Western Kentucky University Athletics

The San Francisco 49ers selected him in the 3rd round of the 2025 draft (pick 100), believing that his competitive edge, special-teams potential and slot/cover-defender versatility will translate to the NFL.

Strengths

  • Instincts & playmaking: Stout showed a knack for creating turnovers (6 interceptions in his college career and multiple return-TDs) and making plays behind the line (7.5 TFLs in 2024) which reflects his feel for the game and willingness to attack. Western Kentucky University Athletics

  • Competitive toughness / effort: Despite being undersized for many roles at 5′9″, Stout brings physicality, energy, and an aggressive mindset that coaches praise. ESPN.com

  • Versatility & special-teams value: He has experience playing multiple roles in the secondary (slot/outside) and has shown value on special-teams, which boosts his early-career floor. San Francisco 49ers

  • Film / self-improvement mindset: Reports from his rookie camp indicate he dove into the playbook, studied previous successful sub-cover defenders, and showed a readiness to learn which is a positive for his development. ESPN.com

Weaknesses

  • Size & physical matchup limitations: At roughly 5′9″ and ~181 lbs, Stout lacks the size/length typically desired for boundary cornerback roles. This raises concerns about his ability to handle bigger wide receivers, contested catches or physical run blocking. ESPN.com

  • Consistency in elite-level coverage vs top competition: While dominant in CUSA, there is less tape against top-tier Power-5 receivers or “alpha” wideouts, meaning his adjustment to the highest level of receiver talent is still to be fully proven.

  • Durability / missed games: He missed five games in 2023 due to injury, which raises some caution about availability and continuity. Western Kentucky University Athletics

  • Transition to NFL speed and complexity: While his work ethic is strong, the jump from college to the NFL often requires refined technique, handling route tempo, and adjusting to more sophisticated offenses — areas where he’ll need real-game reps to fully develop.

Fit & Outlook

Stout projects as a developmental starter or high-impact sub/special-teams corner early in his NFL career. His floor is strong thanks to his effort, competitiveness and multi-role value, but his ceiling will depend on how well he adapts to matchups with bigger receivers, hones his technique, and stays healthy.

If he continues to improve his coverage consistency and leverages his instincts and competitiveness, he could become a solid contributor in the 49ers’ defensive backfield. But if size or matchup issues limit his opportunities, he may settle into a high-value rotational role rather than being a full-time boundary starter.