With their second of two third-round picks, the San Francisco 49ers added some help to their secondary with the selection of cornerback Upton Stout of Western Kentucky at pick 100 overall.
Stout is an undersized corner (5-8 1/2, 181) who impressed scouts with his performance at the Senior Bowl and at the NFL Scouting Combine. The 49ers had their eye on him throughout the draft process as he was one of their allotted 30 players to visit team facilities.
Here's what to know about Stout now that he is a member of the 49ers.
Another sleeper?
As was the case with their first third-round pick, linebacker Nick Martin, Stout is a player some draft analysts ranked much lower than his draft spot. Stout was listed as a sixth- or seventh-round pick by NFL.com and a possible sixth-round pick by ESPN's Mel Kiper. But as he did with Walker at the off-ball linebacker spot, Kiper singled out Stout as his favorite draft sleeper at the cornerback position.
"Stout is a classic overachiever," Kiper wrote. "He's only 5-foot-9 and 181 pounds. But he maximizes his talent, and he's tough to get off the field because he prepares well and has an impressive skill set. Stout allowed 2.4 yards per pass attempt on throws his direction last season, which was sixth in the nation among defensive backs with 200-plus coverage snaps."
Stout certainly proved himself at Western Kentucky, where he started 29 games in three seasons after transferring in from North Texas and finished with 125 tackles, six interceptions (two returned for touchdowns), and 17 passes defensed. He was a first-team All-Conference USA performer in 2024. Stout also returned five punts for 29 yards.
Nickel? Or not?
When the 49ers selected Stout, a tweet from 49ers owner Jed York suggested the team may have just drafted a nickel cornerback.
Can't measure heart #nickelforyourthoughts
— Jed York (@JedYork) April 26, 2025
Perhaps that is where Stout will end up. But Stout expressed confidence during the draft process that he can play wherever he is needed.
"I feel like my best fit is on the field," Stout told The Draft Network. "I don't feel like I have a better opportunity at this position or that position. My best opportunity is whatever it takes to get me on the field. I can play nickel. I can play wide corner or safety as well. I'll find a way to dominate if you just put me on the field."
Stout said in an interview with ClevelandBrowns.com that he felt his time at the Senior Bowl proved he could play on the outside as well as the inside.
"I feel like I proved I'm a competitor," Stout said. "It doesn't matter who I'm going against -- that I can compete with anybody and everybody, that I'm just not a slot corner. I can play on the outside with bigger, taller receivers. It's really just me proving every day that I'm a dawg and I can compete with anybody."
Busy offseason
In addition to working at the Senior Bowl and the NFL Scouting Combine, Stout has been working in Texas with high-end defensive back trainer Jacory Nichols.
Nichols and Stout attended the same high school (North Shore in Houston, Texas). Nichols has trained a number of players on the high school, college, and pro levels, including his share of NFL clients. Stout has worked with Nichols for years, according to KPRC-TV in Houston.
Nichols offered a scouting report on Stout to KRPC, saying Stout is "a feisty player, but very technical and can run... a guy that overall just wants to be on the field. You get a lot of guys that can move around and play ball, but, when you get a guy that actually wants to be out there, they're just taking it to another level... One thing that's going to set him apart, too, is just his ball skills and how he attacks the ball in the air. Rather than get a guy that's 6-2, or 5-8, 5-9, being able to attack the ball is one thing that sets him apart."
Living the dream
Stout has been playing football his whole life and has dreamt of making the NFL since he was five years old. That dream came true on Friday.
"When I was five years old, I knew I wanted to play football," Stout told KPRC earlier this month. "I had seen my brother and just watched him grow up and be the good player that he was. Just going to middle school, high school and seeing all the people around me get offers, it clicked onto me. I've been wanting to go to the league since I was little. Now, it's finally like, dang, I'm really walked into it now."
Entrepreneur
Stout has an interesting side venture when he's not on the football field. Stout has a clothing line called Lazy Wayz, which was inspired by his desire to make the clothes he wanted to wear in high school.
"Really, not being able to have the type of clothes I wanted growing up," Stout told the Bowling Green Daily News in 2024. "You know, when school comes around, you want to go out there with the best clothes on."
Stout's clothing can be seen on Instagram. Don't be surprised if one day he's still working on his clothing line after his playing days are done.
"This is going to be my fallback plan, for sure," Stout added. "After football, while I have my time in the league, I'm going to try and bring my clothing brand up as much as I can and after that I'm going to try and stick with it."