A dislocated and broken ankle limited San Francisco 49ers superstar linebacker Fred Warner to just six games in 2025. He improbably nearly returned in the playoffs, albeit to no avail, because the team didn't go far enough to give him a realistic chance.
Warner's absence was certainly felt throughout the year. However, he was far from the only one whom the seemingly perpetually banged-up Niners missed dearly, specifically on the defensive side of the ball.
The 49ers were constantly short-handed — for extended periods of time, too. From Warner to 2022 Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa to first-round rookie Mykel Williams to talented safety Malik Mustapha, the list goes on.
Yet, through it all, one person stood out to Warner: cornerback Upton Stout.
Fred Warner loved what he saw from 49ers' rising star CB Upton Stout
While San Francisco didn't reach Super Bowl LX, they're hosting the Big Game. So, naturally, Warner popped up on Radio Row. Malcom Harris-Gowdie asked him which young 49ers defender caught his eye during an exclusive interview with FanSided, and without hesitation, he named Stout.
“Absolutely, I think my favorite player in the league right now is Upton Stout, our starting nickel corner,” Warner said. “He’s about 5-foot-9, 5-foot-10, about [170 pounds], and he’s just a pure dog. He’s just out there running through people, playing with his hair on fire and is exactly what you want in a 49er, so I’m really happy that he’s on my team.
Talk about a ringing endorsement.
Stout, a 2025 third-round pick, turned heads in his first season as a pro for a 49ers stop unit that was ravaged by injuries. Yet, perhaps no one came away more impressed than Warner.
By the sound of it, Warner doesn't think this is a flash in the pan. His comments exude confidence that Stout can build on the momentum and remain a high-level contributor in 2026 when the Niners are (hopefully) fully healthy. While development isn't always linear, that's well within the range of outcomes.
Across 16 games in his inaugural campaign, Stout amassed 82 tackles, five pass deflections, two quarterback hits, a sack and a forced fumble. What the Western Kentucky product lacks in size is counteracted by a relentless motor, illustrated by what we saw from him as a pass rusher. He finished tied for first among corners with Seattle Seahawks All-Pro Devon Witherspoon in total pressures (10).