Bucky Brooks says this 49ers starter is poised for big second season

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NFL.com analyst Bucky Brooks named San Francisco 49ers slot cornerback Upton Stout to his 2026 All-Breakout Team, singling out the second-year defender as a rising piece of Raheem Morris's secondary heading into the season.

Brooks framed the selection around the demands of the nickel position, arguing Stout already showed the traits that separate ordinary slot defenders from difference-makers.

Old-school players will tell you the nickel position is reserved for defenders with a supreme combination of instincts and athleticism that enables them to create big plays in various ways. Stout certainly fit the bill as a rookie in 2025. Whether swatting passes away, punching the ball out or blitzing off the edge, Stout flashed star qualities manning the slot. He finished third on the 49ers with 82 tackles, excelling as a "see ball, get ball" playmaker. He could further develop into a true difference-maker for a San Francisco squad with championship aspirations.

Stout, a third-round pick out of Western Kentucky in 2025, played in 593 defensive snaps over all 16 games as a rookie and made four starts while playing primarily in the slot. Along with his 82 tackles, he finished with four tackles for loss, five passes defensed, two quarterback hits, one forced fumble and one sack.

The 5-foot-9, 181-pound Stout has become one of several 49ers defenders drawing outside praise ahead of camp. ESPN's Ben Solak also tapped him as San Francisco's top breakout candidate for 2026, noting Stout held up mentally at one of the harder positions to master as a rookie despite a raw, overmatched defense around him.

San Francisco's defense finished 25th in the NFL in passing yards allowed last season, giving Stout an obvious opportunity to expand his role and impact as the slot corner in Year 2. If his trajectory continues, Brooks and other evaluators see him pushing toward true difference-maker status for a 49ers team with championship expectations in 2026.

This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Bucky Brooks says this 49ers starter is poised for big second season

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