Yes, the Miami Dolphins shocked the world — and many of their fans who have been religiously following NFL Draft coverage — when they opted to select Alabama offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor with the No. 12 overall pick. The decision to take Proctor with enticing defensive options at their fingertips will be endlessly debated for years to come, until these players' careers start to take shape.
In an effort to calm Dolphins fans' panic, however, we must take a look at the bright side. Proctor is a massive physical specimen with unique athleticism. His 8.8 Relative Athletic Score (RAS) ranks 199th out of 1,645 offensive tackles since 1987. This feat is made more impressive when considering his size: 6'7", 352 pounds, to be exact.
At that size with that ability, Proctor is naturally in rare air when it comes to player comparisons. In fact, the MockDraftable database elicits two favorable pulls, one of whom might be headed for a gold jacket one day. The players in question: 2024 first-round pick, the Saints' Taliese Fuaga, as well as 16-year NFL veteran Andrew Whitworth.
Players in Kadyn Proctor's mold have proven to be capable of making real noise at the NFL level
It's hard to put into words what a coup it would be if Proctor turns out to be anything like Whitworth. The four-time Pro Bowler, two-time All-Pro, is similarly 6'7", though slightly lighter at 330 lbs. With very similar explosion scores gleaned from their respective vertical and broad jumps, it's clear that Proctor is no slouch athletically.
Keep in mind that his pairing with Patrick Paul (6'7", 326 lbs) will give the Dolphins one of the largest (and hopefully best) tackle duos in the entire league. Some fans, myself included, have practically begged the Dolphins to prioritize the trenches. When I invoked the names of Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson as the gold standard, I didn't necessarily expect the Dolphins to find someone nearly Mailata's size to fill the role. Alas, they did.
The Dolphins' uneven history has given their fans reason for trepidation. Despite what some experts say, Proctor has all the tools to become a fantastic player. NFL Draft Buzz compares him to another lineman who went top-10 in his draft class: fellow Crimson Tide product J.C. Latham.
It's no accident that Proctor went as high as he did in the draft. Look no further than the four offensive linemen who immediately followed at pick Nos. 14, 17, 19, and 21. If the Dolphins hadn't grabbed him, someone else would've. Once the adrenaline wears off and the emotions subside, it's easy to see the future Jon-Eric Sullivan sees for the Dolphins. It looks a lot like the Philadelphia Eagles' recent success.
Dolphins fans can only hope to be so lucky.
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