NFL Draft
3/24/25
5 min read
Upton Stout 2025 NFL Draft: Scouting Report For Western Kentucky Hilltoppers CB
Height: 5084 (verified)
Weight: 181lbs (verified)
Year: Redshirt Senior
Pro Comparison: Mackensie Alexander
Scouting Overview
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers cornerback Upton Stout is an undersized corner who projects as a coverage subpackage defender at the NFL level. Stout has an impressive athletic profile and a scrappy demeanor that will give him a fair chance to serve as a coverage player in the nickel, which is where he spent the majority of his reps during his 2024 season.
Stout does well to get his pads behind his tackles and offers active hands to negotiate blocks from skill players, which suggests that despite his smaller stature, he could ultimately serve as a primary nickel and not just a passing down option.
2025 NFL Combine Results
| Position | Name | School | 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Split | Broad Jump | Vertical Jump | 3-Cone Drill | 20-Yard Shuttle | Bench Press |
| CB | Upton Stout | Western Kentucky | 4.44 | 1.51 | 128 | 37.5 | 4.29 | 21 |
Positives
- Twitchy change of direction skills allow him to trigger into the catch point with suddenness
- He is comfortable sticking his face in the fire and inserts much better than you’d expect into a gap fit vs. the run
- Competitive play demeanor shows up at the catch point
Negatives
- Has logged 12 called penalties in the last three seasons (plus an additional four not accepted)
- Stature and functional strength take away from some of the appeal of playing him in the nickel and living in congestion
- Does not have the size/length profile to live on the perimeter
Background
Stout is from Houston, TX, and played high school football for North Shore HS. There, he was a 3-star recruit (247 Sports) who collected offers from Houston, South Alabama, Utah State, UTSA, and others before ultimately enrolling at North Texas.
Stout played for North Texas for the 2020 and 2021 seasons, logging just short of 500 snaps defensively before entering the transfer portal in November of 2021. As a 4-star transfer (247 Sports), Stout landed at Western Kentucky in December of 2021 and collected a starting role right away.
In 2022, he started 11 of the 14 games he played in as a third-year freshman. Stout would go on to start six games in seven appearances in 2023, missing five games due to injury. Stout briefly entered the transfer portal (again) in November of 2023 but withdrew his name less than a month later to remain with the Hilltoppers.
Stout moved inside to play predominantly nickel in 2024 and played arguably his best season. Although his ball production was down, he started 12 games and earned First Team All-Conference USA honors for his play.
Stout accepted an invitation to the 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl after deciding to enter the NFL Draft at the end of the season.
Tale Of The Tape
Stout is a feisty, fiery cornerback whose athletic profile and aggression bode well for a leap to the pros. He’s aided by a move to the nickel in 2024, which gives him some more proof of concept regarding playing off of blocks on the edges of the core and giving him assertive run fits from depth.
He popped in both phases in a way that suggests he can be further nurtured and encouraged here to develop into a long-term fit.
This isn’t the most efficient player in space from a footwork perspective, and his margin for error is slim on account of his lack of length and stature to redirect and beat receivers to the football at the catch point. He’s had a couple of play opportunities come up, short in large part because of his stature, and he’ll need to refine and calm his feet to ensure that his twitchy transitional quickness puts him in position to play the football.
The same stature and reach restrictions are likely inhibitors that will prevent him from getting prolonged looks as an outside corner. Despite how scrappy he is, he’s likely punching outside of his reach and weight class if charged with trying to press or man against bigger-bodied receivers on the outside. The same threat looms with big-bodied players in the slot, but there’s better support awaiting him to cap him in coverage in the nickel.
In zone coverage, he can be baited and manipulated. The aggression to try to break on the football, paired with some overeagerness when playing overtop of routes, can pull his hips on a line away from the target and create windows. He’d benefit from holding his water here, being more patient, and trusting his athleticism. He has ample twitch to transition and greets the football when he’s balanced and not caught leaning.
Stout has been opportunistic with double catches and batted balls at the catch point to yield some of his turnover production. That said, his numbers were down, disrupting throws during his transition inside. Is some of that circumstantial? Perhaps. However, the difference in spacing and the importance of leveraging multiple routes appeared to play a part.
As a run defender, Stout shows stiff pads with his form tackles. He does a good job understanding the need to get his frame behind his challenges and that he doesn’t have great weight to throw around.
That said, his modest wingspan and lack of wrap-up strength can be tested, and he will likely be challenged by NFL competition early on. He shows disciplined eyes to process through blocks and feel the bounce or track of the football.
Even more notable is Stout’s ability to punch and extend and his quick disengagement off of blocks on the edges, which helps keep him as an active support player or gap fitter near the line of scrimmage.
Ideal Scheme Fit, Role
Stout projects as a developmental nickel corner at the NFL level. Early on, he may be better served as a primary coverage option and depth piece, but he has the mindset and tackling ability to eventually become a full-time nickel.
Grade: 72.50/100.00, Fourth Round Value
Big Board Rank: 137
Position Rank: CB18
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