ESPN & PFF Both Say Upton Stout Is the 49ers' Breakout Player of 2026

Damon Bruce Plus: 49ers, Warriors, Giants, National Headlines, Bay Area Sports Talk · Jul 8, 2026 · 39m

A third-round pick out of Western Kentucky. Selected 77th overall. Not exactly a household name. But ESPN and PFF both just named Upton Stout as the San Francisco 49ers' breakout candidate for 2026 — and when you watch what he did as a rookie, it's not hard to see why. Stout stepped in immediately as the 49ers' primary nickel cornerback as a rookie, held his own on a defense that was young and banged up all season, showed the football IQ to avoid making the same mistakes twice, and earned enough trust to start in the playoffs. PFF called him a gem. ESPN called him a breakout waiting to…