At 6-foot-7 and more than 350 pounds, Alabama Crimson Tide prospect Kadyn Proctor looks like a prototype built in a lab for teams that prefer mass and violence in the trenches.
That description just so happens to fit what Dan Morgan and Dave Canales have assembled with the Carolina Panthers.
With Taylor Moton entering the tail-end of his career and Ikem Ekwonu recovering from a ruptured patellar tendon, the Panthers’ offensive tackle situation has shifted from stable to future-proofing required in a hurry. Proctor might be the most Panthers-specific tackle prospect in this entire class.
Carolina Panthers could use first-round pick to bolster their options on the offensive line
The Panthers under Canales have shown a clear preference: big humans who can move people. Proctor checks every one of those boxes.
He weighed in at 352 pounds during testing at the NFL Scouting Combine. Proctor clocked a 5.21-second 40-yard dash, has a 32.5-inch vertical jump, and a 9-foot-1 broad jump. He's got 33-3/8-inch arms and violent hands. The edge force also boasts three years starting at left tackle in the SEC.
That’s exactly the kind of player you want landing in a room with Moton and offensive line coach Joe Gilbert.
Carolina signed Rasheed Walker and added depth with Stone Forsythe specifically because Ekwonu’s timeline is uncertain. That gives the Panthers something most tackle-needy teams picking in the top 20 do not have. Time.
Proctor is widely viewed as a boom-or-bust player across the league. Some teams see a future All-Pro. Others see a roller-coaster pass protector whose tape runs hot and cold. Carolina is one of the few places where he wouldn’t be forced onto the field before he’s ready.
However, injuries remain a concern. Proctor played through a ligament tear in his ankle in 2023 and a shoulder injury that required a brace throughout 2025. Still, he also plays with something Canales constantly talks about: joy in the violence of the position:
“If I’m playing, then I’m happy. You’ve got to run guys off the ball. That’s the whole position.”
That mentality shows up when he pancakes defenders, when he buries edge rushers, and even when he caught a lateral against Georgia and rumbled for 11 yards like a runaway refrigerator with legs.
Proctor has said he’s happy to move if needed. If Ekwonu returns healthy long-term, Proctor could easily slide to the right side as Moton’s eventual successor. If the North Carolina State product's recovery lingers, the prospect could be Carolina's future blindside protector.
Either way, he becomes the long-term answer at one of the two tackle spots. That kind of flexibility is exactly how Morgan has been building this roster.