The Alabama Crimson Tide have sent an offensive lineman to the first round of the NFL Draft six times in seven years. Under Nick Saban, the school became a relentless factory of professional talent, but it’s the biggest and baddest that have caught the league’s attention most often.
In the 2025 NFL Draft, left guard Tyler Booker was drafted 12th overall by the Dallas Cowboys. This season, the prospect to his left, Kadyn Proctor, will hope to crack the top 10.
It’s an incredibly strong tackle class, particularly at the top, challenging the former Freshman All-American to up his game against stiff SEC competition.
Proctor’s size stands out
One cannot watch Proctor without first noticing his size. Schools have a tendency to inflate their measurements. That isn’t the case in Tuscaloosa, where Proctor looks every bit of his 6’6″, 360-pound frame.
He’s a giant with the wingspan to match, and his size headlines his profile. Proctor’s anchor is strong, even though he plays tall, allowing him to absorb bull rushes without natural leverage. His length allows him to control opposing edge rushers’ upper bodies, and he does a good job of winning with grip strength without holding.
Nobody is moving him in the run game. His ability to displace blockers in zone is part of what makes him a Day 1 starter, much like his former tackle partner, JC Latham. He’s a force getting downhill, too, looking for work in the second level while navigating the space well.
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Proctor is unsurprisingly a strong finisher, but there’s more to his game than mass. He has flashed well-timed baits to win with his hands and receives defenders well when working in tandem with guards. His punches are violent, yet controlled, and he repositions himself adequately to counter bend.
Athletically, there’s a chance he ends up as a Combine darling. While the profile isn’t without questions, he’s a twitchy athlete who’s mobile enough to be scheme diverse.
What could stop him from being OT1?
The biggest things standing in the way of Proctor being the first tackle drafted are the 300-pound linemen vying for the same title. Spencer Fano and Francis Mauigoa offer different, but similarly potent, skill sets, and teams may separate them on fit more than talent come April.
Still, he has some questions to answer. Proctor is massive, and playing at his size comes with risks. Proving his speed is actually above average, rather than just strong for his size, will be important. If he tests worse than anticipated, he may toe the line of adequate athleticism, a battle other top prospects have lost while transitioning to the NFL.
While his burst looks good, his change of direction is more in line with his measurements, making him a lesser option in space and, at times, as a puller.
At his height, he’ll have to continue exceeding expectations against defenders with better natural leverage. When the players get bigger, stronger, and longer at the next level, those advantages will dissipate, demanding quality technique.
Proctor’s frame and nuance make him dangerous in the run game and lucrative in pass protection. That kind of upside is going to garner early-first-round buzz throughout much of the process with a quality season, and an SEC schedule should provide him plenty of opportunities to make good on the hype.
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