The 49ers May Have Found Another Steal in the Draft

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Upton Stout of the NFL Combine

The San Francisco 49ers may have found another steal. The Niners have become familiar with Day 2 and 3 players exceeding expectations. Fred Warner, Deommodore Lenoir, Dre Greenlaw, Talanoa Hufanga, Renardo Green, and Malik Mustapha are some of the most recent examples of defensive players who have outperformed their draft slots and become impact players for San Francisco.

This year, the Niners invested heavily in the front-seven during the NFL Draft. However, it’s been a secondary player, Upton Stout, that stood out in minicamp.

Upton Stout at 49ers Minicamp

49ers beat reporter Grant Cohn of Sports Illustrated recently broke down Upton Stout’s performance at minicamp.

“At minicamp last week, only one rookie defender was on the field with the starters — third-round pick Upton Stout. Stout played nickelback for the first-string defense on the final day of minicamp, and he made the best pass breakup of the day. On the final play of practice, he broke up a deep pass that was intended for 6-foot-4 wide receiver Isaiah Neyor. Keep in mind, Stout is only 5’8″. But he plays bigger than his size. That’s because he’s extremely strong and competitive.”

Stout is the only rookie who played with the starters, which means a lot considering how early he’s proving himself. He’s already getting an opportunity, and it appears he’s making plays early on. Fantastic news for his chance to get on the field early in the year.

Potential Role in the 49ers Defense

Off the field, Stout feels like a fit in San Francisco as well. After being drafted, Upton Stout brought up his confidence, and it showed how his mentality fits in with the 49ers’ culture.

“I have a chip on my shoulder from always hearing somebody tell me what I couldn’t do,” Stout said, via NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco. “There’s no point in me taking that chip off my shoulder right now.”

Sounds a bit like Stout’s new teammate, Deommodore Lenoir. The confidence and faith in his game are something that players under Kyle Shanahan seem to always have in their DNA.

In the same conversation, Stout would go on to discuss his game and potential role.

“It’s a lot of work, a lot of film study,” Stout said about being a nickel. “But I feel that’s the best part about the nickel because you’re the most versatile player on the field. The receiver can go in any direction and you have to go with him, and you’re an extra hat in the run fits.”

The nickel position is where Stout will likely play for the majority of his 49ers career. With Charvarius Ward leaving in free agency, the Niners’ top cornerback will need to play one of the outside positions, making the nickel spot wide open for a competition. Playing nickel in the NFL is one of the most difficult positions there is. Not only will Stout need to be a great coverage player against some of the best route runners on earth, but he will also need to wreak havoc in the run game. Stout has his work cut out for him, but it appears he’s already taken strides to immediately be an impact player.

Matthew Kaimer is a sports writer covering the MLB for heavy.com. He has worked for Heavy since 2023 and has over 5 years experience covering the MLB and San Diego Padres through his social media outlet “Friar Talk.” More about Matthew Kaimer