Miami Dolphins rookie lineman Kadyn Proctor was hit with a low rating regarding his long-term upside.
The Miami Dolphins shocked many when they chose to use their No. 12 overall pick on Alabama tackle Kadyn Proctor. The former Alabama Crimson Tide lineman is now expected to take up a guard position and become an anchor in protecting Malik Willis.
Proctor is a massive guard prospect, as he is 6-foot-7 and weighs 350 pounds. The idea behind using him on the left side of the line is to pair him with fellow bully left tackle Patrick Paul, giving Willis a true one-two combo at his blindside.
Despite what could be huge upside, Proctor remains a confusing pick for some, as the Dolphins could have drafted safety Caleb Downs or edge Ruben Bain. Now, the lineman has received a low ranking in terms of his long-term upside.
NFL Draft on SI writer Justin Melo ranked all 32 first-round picks, offering explanations on the long-term upside each player has. Proctor was hit with No. 28 overall on the list.
"Kadyn Proctor is a mammoth 352-pound blocker with rare length and size at his disposal. Proctor has questionable foot speed, and the Miami Dolphins will attempt to offset that by starting him out at guard as a rookie. It's believed he'll eventually transition to right tackle, where he'll make a bigger impact if he develops into a quality starter," Melo wrote.
Melo did offer some kind critiques despite ranking him near the bottom of all the first-round picks. Proctor will start at the left guard position and likely move to right tackle at some point.
Miami brought right tackle Austin Jackson back on a one-year deal, but he has only played in 14 games over the past two seasons. His health issues have been a big issue, and there is some worry that those issues will repeat again in 2026.
Should Jackson be injured, the Dolphins may be forced to move Proctor into the right tackle position, but that would cause some major issues on the line.
Proctor being on the left allows Jonah Savaiinaea to move to the right guard position, where he was far more efficient in college. In 2025, he was the worst-rated guard in the NFL.
To Savaiinaea's credit, he was a rookie guard handed the tall task of starting all 17 games when he was not ready. That said, the Dolphins are now expecting Proctor to do the same exact thing.
Proctor does have a huge size and the kind of physicality that makes him an intriguing player to take on the role of an oversized guard. Cross-training also allows him to be versatile and fill in where the Dolphins may need him.
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