The 49ers addressed their nickel cornerback position in Round 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft.
The San Francisco 49ers addressed their cornerback room in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft this offseason by taking Western Kentucky’s Upton Stout, a nickelback who stands 5’8, 181 pounds.
Stout’s selection wasn’t entirely a surprise, but it was notable that the 49ers passed on bigger cornerbacks earlier in the third round, instead prioritizing the nickel position with their final pick on Day 2.
While his size may come as a detractor to some, the rookie cornerback believes it only adds fuel to the fire with his playing style.
“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.”
Stout moved to the nickel position for his final year of college after predominantly being an outside cornerback and was a natural fit. With the switch came an uptick in work, but it was a role that the senior felt comfortable in, given his versatility.
“It’s a lot of work, a lot of film study,” Stout said abut 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.
“I just feel like you always got to be on your P’s and Q’s. And always got to be on your A game. I feel that’s the best part about the nickel position.”
While Stout is a smaller cornerback, he had some strong athletic testing at the NFL Combine, posting a 4.44 40-yard dash, 1.51 10-yard split, 37’5’’ broad jump, and an impressive 21 reps of bench press.
He’s a strong, physical player, and his play style matches that, making him a good fit for the nickel position.
“I wasn’t always the biggest person,” Stout said. “So if I wasn’t going to be the biggest, I was for sure at least going to be one of the strongest. I didn’t want to be small and small.”
Now a 49er, Stout, who doesn’t mind talking that talk, is ready to prove he can also walk the walk as he gets the opportunity to compete for a starting job as a rookie.
“It still doesn’t feel real because my mindset is not to be thinking that I did it and it’s time to celebrate. What’s the next step? Now it’s time to get to work and go earn a position. It’s time to show them why you’re in the building.”
The 49ers have a clear need at cornerback, as they lost Charvarius Ward to the Indianapolis Colts in free agency. Stout’s arrival could kick Deommodore Lenoir out to the boundary opposite 2024 second-round pick Renardo Green, providing the 49ers with a young trio of cornerbacks for the future.
In the 2025 NFL Draft, it felt like the 49ers prioritized getting ‘their guys,’ with Stout’s profile fitting that mix. Now, it’s time to see what he can do on the field.