With Isaac Seumalo gone and uncertainty at left tackle, it’s fair to argue that offensive line help is the Pittsburgh Steelers’ biggest immediate need in 2026. NFL.com’s Eric Edholm has them addressing that need with Alabama OT Kadyn Proctor in his latest mock draft.

“Mike McCarthy loves athletic big men, and this 6-7, 352-pounder can give the Steelers insurance at left tackle after starting there for three years in college. Proctor also could be tried at left guard or right tackle if the Steelers want to shuffle current pieces around,” Edholm wrote.

The last draft class McCarthy had a hand in selecting with the Dallas Cowboys brought OT Tyler Guyton, C Cooper Beebe, and OL Nathan Thomas to the team in 2024. And it was only two years prior that they drafted OG Tyler Smith in the first round. He had a similar stretch with the Green Bay Packers in the early 2010s when they selected Bryan Bulaga and Derek Sherrod in the first round of back-to-back drafts.

With trusted assistant James Campen back by his side in Pittsburgh, McCarthy could certainly look to shore up the trenches. That would also align with Omar Khan and Andy Weidl’s philosophy, which brought Broderick Jones and Troy Fautanu to the Steelers in back-to-back drafts.

Jones is coming off a serious neck injury and longtime practice squad OT Dylan Cook has just a few starts to his name. Grabbing somebody like Proctor makes a lot of sense as a versatile piece to either fill a need at tackle or guard. He played left tackle his entire college career, but has stated being open to a move inside. His lateral quickness might limit him out on the edge.

Measuring in at 6065, 352 pounds with 33 3/8-inch arms, Proctor ran a 5.21-second 40-yard dash with a 32.5-inch vertical and 25 reps on the bench press at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine. Based on the Steelers’ pre-draft visit and interest in Miami (FL) OT Markel Bell, Proctor fits the description of the type of lineman they are interested in to round out the group.

For what it’s worth, Proctor has the highest Pro Football Focus grade from the 2025 season among their top 10 prospects at the position in this class.

Would somebody like Proctor start right away? That depends if Jones is healthy and if he can perform well enough to beat out Cook in training camp. A move to guard would likely take more time to develop into. At the very least, they would secure the immediate depth and long-term starting future of the group with this first-round pick.

Imagine a future with Kadyn Proctor, Zach Frazier, Mason McCormick, and Troy Fautanu holding down the line for years with one of the most respected OL coaches in the industry guiding their development. In the eyes of McCarthy, Khan, and Weidl, that’s an attractive thought as they start to think about developing their next long-term quarterback.

Check out our full scouting report on Kadyn Proctor below.