Although no one knows who Alabama Crimson Tide’s new QB1 will be—except Coach Kalen DeBoer himself. Whoever wins the job among Ty Simpson, Austin Mack, or Keelon Russell will have a five-star luxury that ex-QB1 Jalen Milroe didn’t fully enjoy until last year. It’s the kind of bodyguard passers daydream about, the kind who makes blitzing edge rushers question their career choices. And the new guy under center? He gets that 100% from day one. Milroe only got a year of it in 2023.

Alabama LT Kadyn Proctor is back. He’s bigger, better, and no longer playing on half a tank. The 6-foot-7, 366-pound tackle stepped to the mic at SEC Media Days along with coach Kalen DeBoer and one other Crimson Tide rep, giving Bama the rare distinction of showcasing a lineman as one of its marquee names. That’s why Fox Sports’ Joel Klatt ranked him ninth best in his Top 10 CFB list in 2025. “I think the best offensive lineman in the country is Kadyn Proctor,” Klatt said in his latest podcats. “Now, Proctor has been a mainstay at Bama since he stepped foot on campus. This guy has been excellent since day one, has started since day one at Alabama. I thought he really came into his own last year.”  Klatt didn’t stop there.

“I remember preparing for the game that you’re watching right now. If you’re watching on YouTube, you should. But the highlights of that game, which I prepared for and then called, I was just really impressed with him, and he hadn’t even really, I would say, matured into the great player that I felt like he was when analyzing some of his film from late in the year.”  That doesn’t happen unless you’re a game-changer. Last year, Kadyn Proctor returned from injury after missing the first two games and wasn’t fully himself until midseason.

“Great in pass protection. He can be absolutely dominant in the run game and he is a massive player. He’s 6-7, 366 pounds, so he can be dominant at all stages. Kadyn Proctor—you might not hear his name a lot, but I’m here to tell you, I think he’s one of the best 10 players in the country for 2025.” That praise doesn’t come easy, and Proctor’s tape from the back half of the season backs it up. After giving up 12 sacks and 36 pressures as a true freshman, he responded in 2024 with only three sacks and 15 total pressures allowed, per PFF data.

Those are first-round tackle numbers, and they match what scouts have been saying behind closed doors. “Proctor is the biggest (6-7, 360 pounds) and strongest of the group, and the player scouts are the highest on if he can reach his upside,” ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller wrote. “He has the ability to maul defenders in a way that no other tackle in the class can. Proctor’s evolution as a tackle prospect over the second half of the 2024 season has scouts thinking he turned a corner.”

And if you ask around the league, NFL teams are circling his name on their draft boards. “If you watch him against Georgia or South Carolina, two teams with great defensive lines, he looked like a top-five pick,” said one AFC South area scout. Another from the NFC East added, “It’s so rare to see someone that big move so well. There’s not a great player comp for him because of that.” But Alabama’s front isn’t just about Proctor.

All across its offensive line, the Tide boast potential Sunday players. Jaeden Roberts, the bulldozing right guard, is widely seen as one of the best interior blockers in the country. Center Parker Brailsford—brought in by Kalen DeBoer from Washington—was also named Second Team All-SEC, and provides the kind of stability in the middle that keeps blitzes from blowing up plays before they start. And Proctor? He was the First Team All-SEC pick. The anchor. The enforcer. And perhaps, the most valuable person on this offense not named “QB1”.

Kalen DeBoer’s giant Kadyn weighs in on his QBs

If you’re a 366-pound OT with NFL scouts salivating over your footwork and finish, you tend to get a front-row seat to Alabama’s biggest storylines. So when Kadyn Proctor took the mic at SEC Media Days, folks leaned in. While Kalen DeBoer continues to keep the decision close to the vest, Proctor was happy to speak on behalf of his potential field generals.

“Starting off with Ty, he’s been there for four years now. He knows what to do. He’s doing his to his best abilities to succeed. And just having that experience, I know he hasn’t been a starting quarterback, but he knows what he’s going,” Proctor said. That’s a nod of respect for the veteran Ty Simpson, who’s been grinding in the system, even without the starting reps.

Then there’s the newcomer with size and swagger. “Austin Mack has been at that same level, too. Knows what he’s doing. Tall guy, lengthy. Something I want to point out is they all can run, they can scoot. The arm talent is crazy from all three of them,” Proctor said, clearly impressed by the full quarterback room. And he saved a special shoutout for the true freshman. “I’m just proud of Keelon for coming in as a freshman. It’s hard, especially being at SEC at quarterback, but they’re all three doing their job. I’m proud of all of them.” Whoever wins the job won’t just inherit Bama’s offense—they’ll have a fortress protecting them from snap one.