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Former Alabama left tackle Kadyn Proctor made a splash Saturday when he committed to the Iowa Hawkeyes out of the transfer portal.
Proctor, a five-star in the class of 2023, is an Iowa native who started all 14 games at left tackle for the Crimson Tide as a true freshman.
Just about every elite program in the country wanted Proctor, but it was the home-state Hawkeyes that won out. It was the timing of the move, however, that was particularly interesting.
Alabama Transfer Kadyn Proctor Commits To Iowa After Hawkeyes Raise $100,000
Given Proctor’s ability, age, and position, he could well have commanded just about any NIL offer he wanted while in the portal.
The Hawkeyes knew this, however, and they were prepared.
Shortly after Proctor entered the portal, the Iowa’s SWARM Collective CEO, Bradley Heinrichs,announced that it had raised $100,000.
We have crossed the $100,000 mark in one day!! Thank you Hawk fans! It is clear that people are starting to understand that the Swarm is vital to the success of Iowa athletics. I’m hopeful that we can carry this momentum into the next few days and march towards $1 million!
— Bradley Heinrichs (@HeinrichsBrad) January 18, 2024
Just 48 hours later, Proctor committed. Now, we don’t know for certain that those two things are related. But simple match says 2+2=4.
Kadyn Proctor’s first interview as an #Iowa Hawkeye pic.twitter.com/JhzniX2ihS
— Eliot Clough (@EliotClough) January 20, 2024
Proctor explained his decision to join the Hawkeyes while attending Iowa’s men’s basketball game on Saturday.
The 6-foot-7, 360-pounder said that he allowed Kalen DeBoer and co. to meet with him before entering the portal, but ultimately he decided to look elsewhere.
Allen Trieu of 247Sports reviewed Proctor out of high school. Here’s what he had to say:
“Has prototypical size and has short area burst and twitch at that size. Can run when asked to pull and make blocks in space. Has good strength and looks to finish blocks and plays with good general tenacity. Was not often challenged at the high school level though and often overwhelmed his opponents with pure size and strength.
“Still does not have any obvious big weak points, but continued technical development and then adjusting to college level competition will help ensure he reaches his upside. Has the physical ability to play very early and can be an All-American and early draft choice.”
All of those tools were on display in 2023 when Proctor was named to the All-SEC freshman team.