San Francisco 49ers defensive back Upton Stout won the starting slot cornerback job in his rookie season, delivering encouraging results. Stout totaled 82 tackles, four tackles for loss, one sack, five pass deflections, and one forced fumble in the regular season, plus seven tackles and one pass deflection in the playoffs. He allowed a 73% completion rate, 612 passing yards, one touchdown, and a 98.1 passer rating in coverage.
In his second season, Upton Stout will compete against former Las Vegas Raiders and Green Bay Packers veteran Nate Hobbs for the starting slot job. Stout is in the lead, taking first-team reps during OTAs and mandatory minicamp.
The San Francisco 49ers’ promising corner named to the All-Breakout Team
Jan 11, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; San Francisco 49ers cornerback Upton Stout (20) interacts with Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) after an NFC Wild Card Round game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
In an NFL.com article, Bucky Brooks named the All-Defensive Breakout Team heading into the 2026 NFL Season. In the slot, he named Upton Stout, noting that he flashed star potential during his rookie season. Brooks also highlighted that Stout has a unique combination of instincts and athleticism and believes he could develop into a difference-maker for a San Francisco team with Super Bowl aspirations.
“Old-school players will tell you the nickel position is reserved for defenders with a supreme combination of instincts and athleticism that enables them to create big plays in various ways. Stout certainly fit the bill as a rookie in 2025. Whether swatting passes away, punching the ball out or blitzing off the edge, Stout flashed star qualities manning the slot. He finished third on the 49ers with 82 tackles, excelling as a “see ball, get ball” playmaker. He could further develop into a true difference-maker for a San Francisco squad with championship aspirations,” Brooks said.
Stout has impressed DC Raheem Morris
“He’s a great listener,” Raheem Morris said in June, via David Bonilla of 49ers Webzone. “He’s a great note taker. He’s really locked in. He’s one of the guys that wants to go out and absolutely do it at a very high level every single day. He puts an extreme amount of pressure on himself to be great for his room and for himself.
“I’ve got to find out what his internal why is, but whatever his why is, man, I love it.”
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