It wasn’t supposed to look like this for Upton Stout.
When the 49ers drafted him, the expectations were modest at best. He came out of the 2025 NFL Combine with a poor reputation and was widely projected as a future special teams player.
Fast forward to now, and the conversation around him has changed dramatically. San Francisco may need Stout to become a real difference-maker, because the rest of the secondary still looks like a problem waiting to happen.
ESPN’s latest list of potential breakout candidates named Stout as the most likely 49er to break out in 2026. That’s a notable vote of confidence for a player whose raw numbers last season didn’t stand out, but whose work in the slot showed real growth. He handled a difficult assignment, learned quickly after mistakes, and now has a chance to emerge as one of the league’s better nickel backs.
That projection matters because the 49ers have done little to address the holes in the back end. In 2025, San Francisco gave up the eighth-most passing yards per game and allowed 45 completions of 20-plus yards. The pass rush didn’t help - the team finished dead last in sacks - but the secondary didn’t exactly cover itself in glory either.
And the outlook for this year doesn’t sound much better. Multiple analytics outlets have pegged the 49ers as a bottom-10 secondary.
The front office made only modest additions. San Francisco drafted Washington’s Ephesians Prysock in the fourth round and signed Nate Hobbs, but neither move reads like a major fix.
Those look more like depth pieces than answers. For now, the team seems to be betting on the players already in the building.
That leaves Stout in a central role. He’ll be expected to help clean up the mess around Renardo Green, Malik Mustapha, and Ji’Ayr Brown, all of whom are viewed by PFF as bottom-half players at their positions. Stout, meanwhile, graded well last season by those same metrics and even finished ahead of Deommodore Lenoir, a corner many consider one of the better defenders in the league.
So the 49ers’ path forward in the secondary may come down to one thing: Stout taking a real leap. If he does, San Francisco has a shot to steady a shaky unit from the inside out. If he doesn’t, the changes could be much bigger a year from now.
In Other News...
Deebo Samuel Just Got Linked To A Brutal NFC West Return
Deebo Samuel is already a familiar name around the NFC West, but the next chapter of his career could keep him in the division in a way 49ers fans would not love. After spending time with Washington and then San Francisco, the former Pro Bowl wideout is now being mentioned as a possible fit for a Rams offense that could use another proven target behind Davante Adams and Puka Nacua.
The appeal is easy to see from Los Angeles side, with the current depth chart still leaving room for a veteran receiver who can stabilize the middle of the lineup. Samuels recent production suggests he still has enough left to matter, and the idea of him landing on a short-term deal only adds to the intrigue as the Rams weigh whether to make a move that would hit close to home in the division. [Read more 🡒]
Purdy And Kittle Just Entered Rare 49ers History
Brock Purdy and George Kittle have become one of the most efficient quarterback-tight end combinations the league has seen, and the numbers now back up what has been obvious on Sundays for a while. Per Pro Football Focus, the 49ers duo sits fourth all-time among qualifying pairings in expected points added per play, and over the last four seasons Purdy has leaned on Kittle as a true centerpiece of the passing game.
From 2022 through 2025, Purdy targeted Kittle 269 times and got big-play production in return, with the connection driving both yardage and touchdowns at a level that has helped define San Franciscos offense. Even in 2025, the link stayed among the leagues best at the position, which is why the 49ers can feel good about how central Kittle has been to Purdys rise, even if the next chapter of that partnership still comes with some uncertainty. [Read more 🡒]
Three 49ers Camp Battles Could Shape Shanahans Season
Training camp usually sorts out depth charts, but for the 49ers, a few of the most important decisions are already taking shape before the pads even come on. Left guard is one of the cleaner competitions, with Connor Colby entering as the favorite and Carver Willis and Robert Jones trying to force their way into the picture. It is the kind of battle that can quietly matter a lot in Kyle Shanahans offense, where one spot on the interior can affect everything from protection to run-game timing.
The secondary has its own set of questions, and those could be just as revealing. Renardo Green is facing real pressure at cornerback from Jack Jones and rookie Ephysians Prysock, while at safety Malik Mustapha appears set, leaving JiAyir Brown, Marques Sigle and Ashtyn Davis to sort out the other starting role. With so much competition clustered in a few spots, camp will not just determine who starts, but how much flexibility the 49ers have when the season begins. [Read more 🡒]