Joel Klatt calls Kaydn Proctor the best offensive lineman in college football

Only one offensive lineman made it onto the Top-10 players in college football in 2025 by Joel Klatt. That single lineman was Alabama OL Kadyn Proctor coming into his junior year.

Klatt released that top-ten rating during his show on Monday. On the list, Proctor, the best in the nation at the position to the analyst, landed at No. 9. He was the first of two selections for the Tide in the ranking too with WR Ryan Williams also at No. 5.

“I think the best offensive lineman in the country is Kadyn Proctor,” said Klatt.

Proctor has made 24 starts at left tackle for the Crimson Tide to this point as an underclassman. That led to a selection to the All-SEC Freshman Team in his first year under Nick Saban before being a choice to the All-SEC Second Team last year as a sophomore under Kalen DeBoer. Now, coming into this season as a junior, Proctor is already garnering recognition again as All-SEC, being named to the Preseason All-SEC First Team coming out of media days in Atlanta, as well as consideration as an All-American and to potentially be one of the top overall picks in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Klatt got to watch Proctor last year when Alabama won 42-10 at Wisconsin, which Proctor returned in time for from an injury as one of their better performers in that blowout of the Badgers. That gave him an in-person assessment of his size and potential if his development continues into his third year.

“Proctor has been a mainstay at ‘Bama since he stepped foot on campus. This guy has been excellent since day one, has started since day one at Alabama,” said Klatt. “I thought he really came into his own last year. I remember preparing for the game that you’re watching right now…but the highlights of that game, which I prepared for and then called? I was just really impressed with him. And he hadn’t even really, I would say, matured into the great player that I felt like he was when analyzing some of his film from late in the year.

“Great in pass protection. He can be absolutely dominant in the run game. And he is a massive player. He’s 6’7”, 366 pounds, so he can be dominant at all stages.”

An offensive lineman might not be the most exciting selection on a ranking like this. Still, Klatt couldn’t deny Proctor as being one of the best players in college this fall.

“Kadyn Proctor? You might not hear his name a lot, but I’m here to tell you. I think he’s one of the best ten players in the country for 2025,” Klatt said. “He checks in at number nine for me.”