Kadyn Proctor is officially back in the transfer portal with a very telling tag. The former five-star recruit, who started every game at left tackle for Alabama last season, is expected to return to the Crimson Tide.
This comes less than 30 days after it was confirmed he got paid during a two-month stint at Iowa.
Proctor’s brief, but eventful, career reflects a concerning trend with the modern era of college football. Although it is a great thing that players have more power than ever before, the lack of regulation has created a free-for-all that more closely aligns with a professional model. However, that model does not have any of the parameters that apply to the NFL, like the salary cap or a formal free agency period.
Let’s break it down.
Proctor, who is from Des Moines, committed to Alabama over Iowa out of high school. The 6-foot-7, 360-pound lineman was the No. 1-ranked player at his position and a top-five player in the country.
Upon arrival to Tuscaloosa, Nick Saban named him as the starting left tackle.
While there were moments where Kadyn Proctor struggled, an overall strong first year earned him All-SEC Freshman Team honors. He developed into one of the best left tackles in the country as the year went on. His future at the position was and is very bright!
And then Saban retired.
Because of the coaching change, every player on the Crimson Tide was granted the ability to transfer without penalty. Proctor chose to do so and returned back home to play for the Hawkeyes.
Almost immediately after arriving in Iowa City, he admitted to tampering by saying the quiet part out loud. Iowa had to self-report a minor recruiting violation as a result. That was in January.
Come the middle of March, Proctor announced his plans to re-enter the transfer portal after going on spring break with some of his former Alabama teammates. And then it was confirmed by the Hawkeyes’ official NIL arm that he received money from a local business during his brief time with the program. His trip with friends on the Crimson Tide was essentially paid for by Iowa-associated NIL money.
Fast forward to this past weekend. Proctor was in Tuscaloosa for Alabama’s spring scrimmage as a fan.
Now, two days later, the transfer portal is officially open for the spring window.
Proctor is officially back in the portal and his entry includes a ‘Do Not Contact’ tag. That usually indicates that a player has already decided on his next destination.
In this case, it would be shocking if Proctor did not return to the Crimson Tide to play for Kalen DeBoer.