What the hell, Kadyn Proctor? I know he’s a kid and all and just finished his freshman season of college, but his erratic decision making has everyone wondering what he’s all about.
Proctor is an elite OT talent from Iowa if you don’t know. As a 5-star recruit out of the state, he committed to the Hawkeyes as expected. Iowa has always done a solid job keeping kids home but has been even more impressive with in-state offensive linemen. Their OL development and offensive style is a natural fit for homegrown linemen.
However, Proctor had a change of heart and flipped to Alabama late in his recruiting cycle. Many Iowa fans were obviously upset, and talks of NIL deals became the main focus. Big, bad Alabama from the SEC stole him from home with money.
Proctor was thrust into a starting role at Alabama and was a turnstile at LT. He came in too heavy, too slow, and wasn’t ready for elite SEC speed. He admittedly struggled with homesickness as well. Impressively, many Iowa fans were forgiving of Proctor’s betrayal and were actually rooting for the kid in the SEC. That’s the kind of fan base they have — rabid but understanding.
With the transfer portal now an easy option for kids to correct errors in choosing schools that aren’t a fit or too far from home, Proctor jumped in following the season and quickly chose Iowa — for the second time. However, he did an interview afterward, essentially admitting that Iowa tampered by contacting him during the season. That led me to write this article.
Just after this, it was determined that Colorado and Deion Sanders admitted actually hosting players who weren’t in the portal, and they self-reported. That led to this article.
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Iowa eventually self-reported the tampering charge, which is a LEVEL III violation and would lead to coaching education and some limitations in recruiting. However, it was a slap on the wrist and worth it for an elite talent like Proctor.
I felt Proctor would be a great fit at Iowa, fix his game, and become a first-rounder.
And that was that. I thought I was done with the Proctor drama, at least until he suited up for Iowa this season. I was wrong.
It’s now being reported that Proctor has had yet another change of heart and will enter the portal again when the window opens in mid-April. And guess where he’s rumored to be going? Yep. Alabama.
If this happens, Iowa fans will not forgive. This is a kid who grew up idolizing Iowa offensive linemen, a kid who said his dream school was Iowa and grew up less than an hour from campus. And then he screwed them over with the late flip. This is a kid who was somewhat remorseful regarding his decision to flip to Alabama and raved about the support he received from the Iowa coaches, players, and fans. He was excited about returning home. And now this?
Kids can do what they want. It’s their life. Proctor has to do what he thinks is right for him. But forgiveness only goes so far. If this happens, it’s unforgivable, and Proctor will forever be despised in Iowa — and rightly so. It seems harsh to say this, as he’s just a kid, but let’s remember that college players want to be compensated and deserve to earn money. But that money makes them essentially professionals and no longer amateurs. You can’t have it both ways. So if Proctor wants to do what is right for him financially, and this would be a financial move, then he’s subject to the criticism and angst usually saved for NFL players. You wanna go back to Alabama? Okay, man, but you’re dead to us. That’s the way Iowa fans will view this, and they have every right.
This will raise red flags from NFL scouts and general managers and he’s adding more and more questions for his interviews with NFL teams in a few years. He’s also going from homegrown hero to villain, and he’s doing it by choice. And the parting gift? Iowa’s NCAA violation.
Iowa fans deserve better, as now it almost feels like Proctor is toying with their emotions and rubbing salt into a wound that we thought had healed. I don’t know what’s going on with the kid or his family or those who advise him, but any chance he had of being a local hero appears to be out the window. And to me, it’s just sad.
