Breaking Down the Proctor Pronouncement

The Miami Dolphins GM revealed the initial plan for the team's first-round pick

Alabama Crimson Tide tackle Kadyn Proctor is selected by the Miami Dolphins as the No. 12 pick during the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The biggest question with Miami Dolphins first-round pick Kadyn Proctor at the outset involved where he would line up as a rookie, and we got an answer Wednesday morning.

Or, at the very least, we got a starting point.

GM Jon-Eric Sullivan indicated during a radio appearance on The Joe Rose Show that Proctor would take his first practice reps with the Dolphins at left guard.

"Just because we always like to cross-train, whether you're talking about a nickel/safety or a guard/tackle or a guard/center, we like to cross-train guys," Sullivan said. "So they they line up in different spots. But I think probably day one, I think he's probably lined up at left guard. But it's moving pieces all the time, and really we just want to play with a couple different things to get the best five out there. But if you press me, that's probably what it looks like day one and then we'll see where we go from there."

In another interesting revelation, Sullivan said that 2025 second-round pick Jonah Savaiinaea, who struggled as a rookie starter at left guard, would move over to the right side.

TUNSIL 2.0?

If the Dolphins stick with that alignment into the regular season, this would follow the path they took with 2016 first-round pick Laremy Tunsil, a star left tackle at Mississippi who played left guard as a rookie because of the presence of established veteran Branden Albert at tackle.

Proctor played left tackle at Alabama, but many draft analysts projected him as a right tackle in the NFL with the possibility of also lining up at guard, where he would become one of the biggest players at that position in the NFL.

It's entirely possible that Proctor will never play left tackle for Miami because of the presence of Patrick Paul, who impressed in 2025 in his first season as the starter at that position.

The Dolphins are set not only at left tackle but also at center with Aaron Brewer, and it's difficult to envision right tackle Austin Jackson not remaining in the starting lineup if he's healthy, so this would leave the right guard spot as the only one open for competition.

The Dolphins signed Jamaree Salyer from the Los Angeles Chargers as a free agent and he figures to compete for the starting job.

Jackson has played guard in his NFL career since arriving as a first-round pick in 2020, so the possibility of him moving inside can't be dismissed if Proctor has issues with the transition to guard.

But for now, the starting point is with Proctor at left guard.

WEIGHING IN ON THE WEIGHT CONCERN

Where Sullivan isn't concerned with Proctor, who he called "my guy" in the draft, is having weight issues, something that was a problem at times during his career at Alabama.

"He sat on my couch, and we had a lot of conversations, and he didn't hide from any of it," Sullivan said. "And his conviction on the things that he needs to do to be the best football player that he can be is what rang loud and clear to me on his 30 visit. It wasn't just a 30 visit, it was the combine time that we spent together and obviously we had a lot of conversations with people at Alabama who were around him every day. And it was very apparent that this kid is prideful. He's competitive. He's about his business. He's a big man, but people understand he's got 271, pounds of lean muscle mass. He's never going to be little.

"He's 20 years old, and he like all of us, 18 and 19, has learned lessons and he's turning corners and he's growing as a young man. He's growing as a professional athlete, and we felt very good about where he is today and where he's going in the future. He doesn't want to go back to that. That was what he indicated to me time and time again, like, 'Hey, I got heavy. I felt it. I wasn't myself athletically, and I'm not ever going back there.' And it was the people that were around them every day doubled down on that. And it's people that we trust and are good at what they do, and we felt good about it. You're only as good as information that you have. But we felt like the talent was rare. We felt like the person was right, and we felt like his work ethic and the things that he needs to do and will continue to need to do, will be on point totally."