Alabama Offensive Lineman Projected to be Best in 2026 NFL Draft Class

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Scott Salomon | Last updated May 8, 2025 2:45 PM ET

The University of Alabama has seen a lot of players drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft. They have been extremely successful with offensive lineman routinely going early.

For example, last month former Crimson Tide guard Tyler Booker was drafted in the first round by the Dallas Cowboys.

Next year's draft should be just as prosperous for Alabama as Pro Football Focus has come out with an early projection that Crimson Tide left tackle Kadyn Proctor will be the first offensive lineman off the board in 2026.

Proctor is a mountain of a man as he stands 6-foot-7 and weighs approximately 360 pounds. He is extremely athletic for a man his size. In some very early mock drafts, Proctor has been listed as the top pick of the entire draft.

Pro Football Focus' Max Chadwick mentioned how Proctor started out slowly when he came to Tuscaloosa, but the former five-star recruit got better each season.

"Proctor was tasked with protecting Jalen Milroe’s blindside in each of his first two seasons," Chadwick said. "While he took his lumps as a true freshman in 2023, the former five-star recruit showed serious improvement down the stretch, which carried over into his sophomore campaign."

Proctor has earned a 76.5 PFF grade since Week 8 of the 2023 season. The ranking placed him in the top 10 among SEC tackles.

He has had his best games when they counted most. Proctor played very well against Georgia and South Carolina. He allowed only one pressure on 96 pass-blocking snaps, according to PFF. He also had a 90.4 pass-blocking grade in those games.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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