"To lose Kadyn Proctor and now get him back, that's a big deal for us": Alabama HC Kalen DeBoer is eager to have former Iowa OT back on the team
Kalen DeBoer lost many talented members of his Alabama Crimson Tide side in the 30-day transfer portal that was opened after Nick Saban retired. One of these players was offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor.
Proctor transferred to the Iowa Hawkeyes but did not stay long and quickly returned to Tuscaloosa.
On his return, Kalen DeBoer said:
"He [Kadyn Proctor] was a guy that was going to play a significant role in the program, and to lose him and now get him back, that's a big deal for us."
Proctor's return to the Crimson Tide will greatly help Kalen DeBoer's program. Last season was Proctor's freshman season, and it did not get off to the best start. During his first few games, Proctor made mistakes to allow quarterback Jalen Milroe to be sacked 10 games in the season's first four games.
As the season progressed, Kadyn Proctor developed as an offensive tackle. His form from the beginning of the season became a distant memory, as he went from allowing many sacks to allowing none.
This was mostly seen during the Crimson Tide's matchup with state rivals, the Auburn Tigers. In a very close game, Milroe scored a late game-winning touchdown to keep the Crimson Tide in contention for the SEC championship game.
One could say that Proctor's strong performance in the offensive line gave Milroe enough time to make the throw that resulted in the winning touchdown.
Will the return of Kadyn Proctor help Alabama?
The return of Proctor to Alabama will only benefit Kalen DeBoer's program.
In the off-season, apart from temporarily losing Proctor, the Crimson Tide lost a fellow member of the offensive line, Seth McLaughlin, to the Ohio State Buckeyes. McLaughlin was like Proctor, a strong point on this line, and his absence is likely to be felt.
Bringing Proctor back into the Alabama offensive line will help lessen the impact of McLaughlin leaving. But Proctor must step up even more to help the line protect Jalen Milroe.
This is due to the large number of recruits and transfers that Kalen DeBoer has brought in to help the offensive line. The majority of these are talented players, but many may not have played in an environment similar to what is seen at Alabama. For this reason, some players could struggle.
Kadyn Proctor will not have this problem. In only his second season, he has the opportunity to not only become a guaranteed starter for one of college football's biggest teams but also to become a leader and mentor who can help the whole offensive line develop.
This will make Proctor develop as a player and turn him into potentially a high draft pick in a couple of years.
Do you think Kadyn Proctor will have a strong second season with the Alabama Crimson Tide?