Western Kentucky defensive back Upton Stout was selected by the San Francisco 49ers with the 36th pick in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft on Friday.

Stout was the 100th overall pick in the draft and became the 40th Hilltopper to be drafted into the NFL. He is the first player drafted by the 49ers since Prince Charles Iworah went in the seventh round of the 2016 NFL Draft.

The Hilltoppers have now had five players selected in the last four NFL drafts. That includes a player selected in the third round in each of the last four NFL drafts. WKU is the only non-power conference program to have a player drafted within the first three rounds in each of the last four NFL drafts.

Malachi Corley was taken with the first pick in the third round in 2024 – making him the second-highest draft pick in program history, behind Forrest Lamp – Brodric Martin was picked by the Detroit Lions with the 96th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, DeAngelo Malone was selected by the Atlanta Falcons with the 82nd overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft and Bailey Zappe was taken by the New England Patriots in the fourth round with the 137th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Stout spent three seasons at WKU and was a First Team All-Conference USA Defense selection during his final season with the program. Since the end of the 2024 season, he participated in WKU’s Pro Day, the Reese’s Senior Bowl – where he was named the American Team Defensive Back of the Week – and he took part in the NFL Scouting Combine. At the NFL Scouting Combine, he put up 21 reps on the bench press – the most for a defensive back in the event – to highlight his performance.

Stout started all 12 games that he appeared in during the 2024 season – his third season with the program after transferring from North Texas. He posted 52 tackles, with a team-high 7.5 for loss, one sack, one interception, one pass breakup and three quarterback hurries.

He appeared in seven games with six starts for the Hilltoppers during the 2023 season and was a big-time playmaker in the secondary. Despite missing five games to injury, he finished the year with 29 total tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss and 0.5 sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, an interception, five quarterback hurries and eight pass breakups. His interception came in the 52-22 victory over Houston Christian, and he returned the ball 53 yards for a touchdown. He posted his second defensive touchdown of the season in the regular-season finale at FIU on Nov. 25, when he recovered a fumble and returned it 16 yards to the end zone. Stout had a season-high seven tackles at Troy on Sept. 23.

Stout made an instant impact for the Hilltoppers during his first season at WKU in 2022, after transferring from North Texas. He started 11 games and played in all 14. In his first game in a Hilltopper uniform, Stout helped WKU beat Austin Peay by returning an interception 34 yards for a touchdown. He picked off another pass in the next game at Hawaii and finished the year with four interceptions overall. His final one came in the team’s 44-23 victory over South Alabama in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl.

Stout made 44 tackles on the season, including a career-high eight in the New Orleans Bowl Victory. For his stellar season, Stout earned Freshman All-American Honorable Mention honors from CFN while also being named Conference USA Honorable Mention.