A former Iowa high school football standout was selected in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday night.
Kadyn Proctor, who was a star for Southeast Polk High School before becoming an All-American at the University of Alabama, was picked by the Miami Dolphins with the 12th overall selection in the first round of the NFL Draft.
The Dolphins traded down with the Dallas Cowboys before selecting the offensive tackle.
Kadyn Proctor Was A Top Recruit Coming Out Of Southeast Polk
Proctor, who checks in at 6-foot-7 and weighs over 350 pounds, won the Anthony Munoz Award as a senior with Southeast Polk. That honor goes yearly to the best lineman in high school football and is named in honor of Pro Football Hall of Famer Anthony Munoz.
Other individuals who have won the Munoz award include LJ McCray, Amare Adams, Felix Ojo and Paris Johnson, Jr. Proctor is the only former Iowa high school football prospect to receive the honor.
Proctor was ranked as a five-star recruit and the No. 7 overall player by 247Sports coming out of high school. He was the top offensive lineman in the country and the No. 1 overall recruit in the state of Iowa.
Proctor Played At Alabama After Flirting With Iowa For College
Initially, Proctor committed to staying in-state, planning to enroll at the University of Iowa. However, he flipped his commitment to Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide on early signing day in December 2022.
When Saban retired from Alabama, Proctor transferred to the Hawkeyes and Kirk Ferentz, but just a few months later when the transfer portal officially opened, he announced that he was returning to the Crimson Tide.
Proctor caught a key 11-yard pass during a game this past fall vs. Georgia, helping set up a touchdown for Alabama. He was a consensus All-American this past season, winning the Jacobs Blocking Trophy while making the all-SEC first team after being a second team selection in the conference in 2024.
Former Head Coach Nick Saban Describes Kadyn Proctor
Proctor was also a Freshman All-American in 2023 and on the SEC all-freshman team that season.
Saban, appearing on The Pat McAfee Show earlier this week, described Proctor and discussed his NFL future.
“This guy is so talented, big, physical, can move, has power, he’s got range, he’s got good feet,” Saban said (thanks to Mike Rodak for the quotes). “The issue with him is – he’s not a bad person, he’ll do whatever you ask him to do once you get him in the building, but when he’s not in the building, he might get a little overweight, he might not come in in the best shape.”
Saban added that there is “no downside” in taking Proctor, who he believes could move to guard along the offensive line if that was needed.
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