49ers Rookie Receives Enlightening Praise From Deommodore Lenoir

This 49ers rookie has a prime chance to become a starter on the defense.

Dec 21, 2022; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Western Kentucky Hilltoppers defensive back Upton Stout (21) reacts after intercepting a pass against the South Alabama Jaguars during the second half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Several rookies on the San Francisco 49ers have a prime chance to be a starter.

One of those rookies is cornerback Upton Stout. His selection was a necessary one for the 49ers, given the lack of depth at the cornerback position.

Drafting Stout was also an indicator that the 49ers may be playing Deommodore Lenoir on the outside more often. Stout is exclusively a nickel corner.

However, he still needs to go out there and earn it. He needs to prove to defensive coordinator Robert Saleh that he is deserving of being the nickel starter.

So far, Upton is on the right track. Even Lenoir has taken notice of the plays he is making and how he looks overall. Lenoir went as far as to say essentially that Stout is further along than he was as a rookie.

"Looking at Upton, I feel like he's way more advanced than when I was when I first got in," said Lenoir. "Just playing the nickel spot, everything just kind of slowed down for him. I feel like all the plays that he's making, it shows that the game is slowing down for him. And I feel like that's a spot that's very vital and that he's going to excel at."

That is quite some praise from Lenoir, which goes to show he is taking up his new role as a leader with open arms. The transparency and praise to offer to Stout by saying he is better than he was as a rookie is amazing.

The 49ers will hope that is the case. They need Stout to be a sufficient starter. If he is still an obscure player to judge, then the 49ers will be in a tough spot.

The cornerback position isn't an impressive group for the 49ers. Stout has to be capable of them, or the 49ers will have a clear weakness that opposing offenses will exploit.

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