SANTA CLARA — Upton Stout and Nick Martin might not be the biggest players of the 49ers’ rookie class, but the two young defenders pack a punch.

Through eight training camp practices, defensive coordinator Robert Saleh has noted how the two third-round picks, who are both under six feet tall, are progressing.

“I’ll start with Nick,” Saleh said Friday. “One thing we’re not worried about with him is his violence, getting off a block, and understanding how to get to the football. He just has to continue mastering the scheme to give himself the opportunity to play fast.

“Upton, he is a straining, scrappy young man, don’t fall asleep on his size. I mean, the guy plays way bigger than he is and way bigger than he looks. He’s got a violence to him; he’s got a violence to his demeanor. So, he’s coming along really well, too, in that regard.”

Both rookies have shown their ability to make plays on defense, Martin forcing a fumble during a recent practice and Stout running with the first team at the nickel position.

Still, both players have a long way to go before being locked in as NFL starters.

Martin has been seen at the weakside linebacker role during team drills, mostly with the second-team defense. Communication is a key factor to success at the position, which can be overwhelming for a rookie, but Martin has shown flashes of his skill set.

“That part, from a rookie standpoint, he’s got to catch up,” Saleh said. “But at the same time, when he’s in a position where he’s comfortable to play call, he’s comfortable with what he sees pre-snap, you see everything that we drafted and that stuff is pretty good.”

While Martin is competing at linebacker, Stout is playing for a chance to start at the nickel role and has had several reps with the first-team defense. Both Kyle Shanahan and Saleh have been reserved but yet complementary of what they’ve seen from the young defensive back thus far.

“It’s been good, competitive,” Saleh said of the defensive back competition as a whole. If you’ve noticed, we’ve been rotating a bunch of guys, giving different guys opportunities to go in with the ones, and we’ll continue that all the way throughout training camp.”

While both players have shown signs of why the 49ers selected them in the 2025 NFL Draft, the real test will come when the Denver Broncos arrive in Santa Clara for a joint practice next Thursday.

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