Why 49ers draft pick Stout is more than meets the eye at nickel
Why 49ers draft pick Stout is more than meets the eye at nickel originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SANTA CLARA — The 49ers selected their fourth defensive player of the 2025 NFL Draft at No. 100 overall, selecting Upton Stout from Western Kentucky.
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The defensive back isn’t the biggest in stature at 5-foot-9 and 181 pounds, but area scout Warren Ball told 49ers general manager John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan that Stout plays with the heart of a lion.
“I feel like you always have to have the heart of a lion no matter what size you are,” Stout said via video conference. “It’s just like, you have to have that mindset every time you step on the field, and I just feel like every time I step on the field, you’re going to get the best of me, and I feel like that’s what comes out is like the heart of a lion.”
The 49ers have been on the hunt for a true nickelback since the departure of K’Waun Williams after the 2021 NFL season. Shanahan is happy with how well Deommodore Lenoir has played both inside and outside but believes adding Stout will be the best for all involved.
“We’re going to still play it out,” Shanahan said. “I think DMo is great inside, I think he’s great outside. We probably see Upton definitely as an inside player. So, that was a big need. The way it fell, especially in the draft, but DMo can do either, but I think it’s easier for a guy when he can stay at one spot. So, we will work that through OTAs and training camp and see how it ends up.”
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Lenoir was a player that Stout focused on while still playing for Western Kentucky, along with safety Malik Mustapha. So, Stout is familiar with Lenoir’s talent as well as the 49ers’ defensive scheme.
“I watched a lot of their defense last year while I was at WKU,” Stout said. “Just watching No. 2 on the slot and then watching [No. 6] at safety. So just me watching a lot of the ball players that they had, that always kind of gravitated me to their defensive scheme.”
Stout spent his first two seasons at North Texas before transferring to Western Kentucky, where he appeared in 33 games and registered 77 tackles — 48 solo, 11 for a loss. The defensive back also staged six interceptions and broke up 11 passes over his final three college seasons.
While Stout has played on the outside, lining up in the slot feels natural.
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“I feel like that’s me,” Stout said. “I feel like when I’m at corner, that’s kind of like, it’s cool to go shut down the island, but when I’m in the middle, that really showcases who I really am. Like I can go blitz, I can tap, I can play man to man. So, I feel like me being at slot really showcases the type of player I am, the type of versatility that I can bring to a team.
“I always like to put my nose in. I feel like that’s a big part of my game getting dirty. I like when the violence comes.”
Sounds like the perfect mentality for the 49ers’ defense.
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