Of the entire class of San Francisco 49ers rookies in 2025, defensive tackle C.J. West and cornerback Upton Stout appear to be running away with the moniker of "best of class" so far.
West has regularly dominated his reps during training camp, while Stout is leapfrogging the multitude of other options who were considered to start at nickel once the regular season commences.
Stout, the Niners' third-round pick out of Western Kentucky, not only earned praise from head coach Kyle Shanahan but also received a shoutout from a former 49er defensive back and future Hall of Famer, Richard Sherman, who recently attended a camp practice.