The 49ers are built around veterans, but the clock is already ticking on the next wave. With cornerstone names like Trent Williams and George Kittle potentially on the way out, San Francisco’s future is going to be shaped by the younger players coming up behind them.
That makes the under-25 conversation pretty important, and the pool is a mixed bag. Jacob Cowing and Ricky Pearsall both sit at 25, so they’re out for this discussion.
On offense, the younger options are Jordan James (22), Connor Colby (23), De’Zhaun Stribling (23), Kaelon Black (24), and Jordan Watkins (24). The defense has the deeper group, with Mykel Williams (22), Nick Martin (23), Marques Sigle (23), Evan Anderson (24), Alfred Collins (24), Malik Mustapha (24), Upton Stout (24), and C.J.
West (24).
If you’re trying to pick the best of that bunch, the answer lands on the defensive side. Mykel Williams has shown flashes, but his 2025 season was cut short by injury.
Nick Martin still has a long way to go in terms of experience. Sigle earned a role before losing snaps to Mustapha.
West and Collins both need a major step forward in 2026. Stout, though, is the one who looks ready for a bigger piece of the defense after a solid rookie year.
So yes, the pick is Upton Stout. Williams plays the more valuable position, but until he develops into a real pass-rush threat, his job is mostly tied to versatility, edge-setting, and helping against the run.
Stout has his own issues to clean up in coverage, and offenses are going to keep testing the second-year slot corner. But what he brings as a slot blitzer is hard to ignore.
Stout finished with 11 pressures, a sack, two QB hits, and eight hurries, and he was used like an extra linebacker at times. That kind of usage should continue under Raheem Morris. He also isn’t shy about doing the dirty work, posting 27 defensive stops and forcing a fumble.
The coverage numbers show there’s still work to do. On 423 coverage snaps, Stout allowed 73.5% of his targets to be caught for 612 yards and a touchdown. He also added six PBUs, but his NFL QB rating when targeted was 98.1.
Even with those rough edges, the role is clear. Under Morris, cornerbacks tend to thrive, and Stout is positioned to matter a lot for the 49ers. Right now, he’s their best player under 25.
In Other News...
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Collins is the kind of interior presence the 49ers have been waiting to see blossom, especially with veteran Osa Odighizuwa alongside him to help anchor the front. If Collins takes the next step, it could give San Francisco a far more disruptive defensive identity and make life harder for opposing offenses from the jump, which is exactly the sort of answer this team has been searching for as camp and the regular season draw closer. [Read more 🡒]
Robert Saleh Just Said Something 49ers Fans Will Not Ignore
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For 49ers fans, the interesting part is not just the praise, but what it could mean down the road. If Saleh ever finds himself back on the market, San Francisco would make sense as a possible landing spot again, especially if a defensive coordinator opening comes up and the organization is looking for a familiar voice who already knows the room. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Fans Hit With Another Disturbing Brandon Aiyuk Twist
Brandon Aiyuk has already spent plenty of this offseason in the rumor mill, but a troubling social media post has now pushed the 49ers wideout into a different kind of spotlight. The video has stirred backlash around the league and among San Francisco fans, adding another layer of unease to a situation that was already being watched closely because of his uncertain future.
The controversy also comes as the speculation around a possible move to Washington continues to linger, even if not everyone is buying it. Former NFL receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh has publicly brushed aside the idea of Aiyuk landing with the Commanders, leaving the bigger questions around the receivers next step and what comes next for the 49ers still unresolved. [Read more 🡒]