San Francisco 49ers defensive back Upton Stout doesn't line up on the side of the ball that quarterback Brock Purdy and tight end George Kittle play on. But neither can stop talking about how his play affects their own.
"You put on the film and watch, the dude finishes plays," Purdy said. "He's running all across the field, getting up after a hit, just energetic. The whole defense feeds off it. Even us offensive players, when we watch that, it's like, okay, that's what's going on on the other side of the ball for us."
Kittle pointed to one play from last week's win over Arizona. Stout was on the far side of the field, near the opposite numbers, when he ran full speed across the whole formation to tackle a ballcarrier on the opposite sideline.
"It's incredible," Kittle said. He didn't see the play live, but Kyle Shanahan showed the film to the team Saturday night. "It gives you a whole new respect for how he's playing right now."
Stout, 24, is in just his second NFL season after the 49ers drafted him in the third round, 100th overall, in 2025. At around 5-foot-9 and 181 pounds, he is not the biggest guy on the field, but his teammates say he plays like it.
Stout has nine tackles through three games, including five against Miami in Week 2, where he also had a tackle for loss, a pass breakup and a half-sack. He has two quarterback hits in total. He finished with two tackles against Arizona, one of them the highlight Kittle was talking about.
In coverage, he has been targeted 15 times and has allowed nine catches for 156 yards and a touchdown. He has missed only two tackles.
Purdy said he is "so proud of the guy" and expects Stout to "have a great year." He added that Stout is "continuing to raise that standard."
On a 49ers team that has leaned on its offense, the standard-setter might be the 5-foot-9 nickel running across the field.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: The 49ers defender who has the offense feeding off his energy
