Proctor capped off a legendary collegiate career this past winter by sweeping the hardware. He secured the 2025 SEC Jacobs Blocking Trophy and earned Consensus All-American honors after starting 40 career games for the Crimson Tide. Scouts aren’t just enamored with his 6’7″ frame; they are obsessed with his violence at the point of attack. He didn’t just block SEC defenders; he deleted them from the play.
The Lions’ front office values “grit” above all else. Proctor fits that mold perfectly. In 2025, he allowed just one sack in 534 pass-blocking snaps, a staggering efficiency for a tackle of his size. While critics point to his occasional struggles with speed rushers, his ability to anchor against a bull rush is unmatched in this class. He plays with a mean streak that would make Dan Campbell smile during a 6:00 AM film session.
“I’m trying to go through people. That’s the biggest thing for me—power. I run through people. I already knew what I was going to do the moment the ball snapped.”
— Kadyn Proctor, Alabama Offensive Tackle
Detroit’s offensive line was once the envy of the league. Now, it’s a construction zone. With Frank Ragnow retired and Decker seeking a new home, Penei Sewell remains the lone elite pillar. Moving Sewell to left tackle is an option, but drafting Proctor allows the Lions to keep their All-Pro on the right side while plugging in a Day 1 starter on the left.
Drafting Proctor at his projected mid-first-round slot provides immediate cap relief and a decade-long solution. He is a displacer in the run game, the kind of blocker who creates five-yard lanes for Jahmyr Gibbs before the back even touches the ball. If the Lions want to return to the NFC Championship, the rebuild starts with this gargantuan tackle from Des Moines.
