Transfer portal: Kadyn Proctor details Iowa commitment during appearance at Carver-Hawkeye Arena

Iowa made a splash in the transfer portal by landing Alabama offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor, the No. 2 overall player and No. 1 offensive tackle. Proctor is an Iowa native and chose Alabama over staying home during the 2023 recruiting cycle. Proctor was in attendance Saturday as Iowa men’s basketball fell to No. 2 Purdue.

“No bridges were burned, you know what I’m saying? That’s why it was so easy for me to pick them when I did enter the transfer portal because we still have those relationships,” Proctor said via Camille Gear of WQAD. Even after I was doing bad in the SEC and you know, struggling, they hit me up and said, ‘we’re proud of you, you’re gonna get through this’ and that’s what ultimately helped me with my decision. Because they still believe in me.”

Proctor received a transfer rating of 0.9900 and is the highest-ranked offensive lineman to enter the transfer portal since its inception. He is the fifth highest-ranked player in portal history. He started every game at left tackle for the Crimson Tide this season, earning a 66.3 PFF College grade, which ranked second nationally among all true freshmen starting offensive linemen. The former five-star prospect ranked as the No. 5 overall recruit and No. 1 offensive tackle in the class of 2023.

“If you probably made a list of all the guys there in Tuscaloosa that you needed to retain, I think the list starts No. 1 Caleb Downs and then No. 2 Kadyn Proctor,” director of scouting Andrew Ivins explained on the 247Sports Football Recruiting Podcast. “And maybe you could positional value put Proctor ahead of Downs, but Downs was the real deal. Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year. Played the most snaps for the Crimson Tide. We saw him almost come down with that insane interception to open up the Rose Bowl. And then Kadyn Proctor — yeah, there were some lumps early on. That’s expected with a young offensive tackle. But by season’s end, he was one of their top guys.”

As for Iowa, Proctor’s arrival could help its offense take a significant step forward. 2023 was another ugly season for the Hawkeyes on offense, but it was expected to be better. Then former Michigan transfer quarterback Cade McNamara tore his ACL in the fifth game of the season, disrupting any potential progress. Fellow Michigan transfer Erick All also tore his ACL two weeks later. The tight end was the team’s leading receiver at the time of his injury.