Kadyn Proctor is only three days into training camp, but the rookie already sounds like a player figuring out how to survive - and eventually thrive - at left guard.
The 12th overall pick in the 2026 draft is working through his first NFL camp in a spot he hasn’t played much since his freshman year of college. Miami wants him to settle in as an anchor inside, and after a fast start full of reps, mistakes and lessons, Proctor says the move has gone “mainly successful” so far.
At 6-7 and 352 pounds, he brings the kind of size that fits right into a line loaded with bulk and experience. But Proctor knows the job changes once the ball is snapped. The space is tighter, the decisions come faster, and the contact shows up sooner than it did in college.
“I would say everything's a little closer, so I got to get my hands up, get ready to go,” Proctor said. “I was a big clamper in college.
I wasn't too scared to let somebody get their hands on me because if I had my power hand, and I got my left hand outside on the shoulder tip, then that's how I won my past pro reps. Now, I've got to get a strike off because everything's happening way quicker in there.”
That adjustment matters for more than just pass protection. Proctor is expected to help carve out lanes in the run game, something he did well at Alabama, while also staying mobile when Malik Willis moves around in the pocket. The agility that showed up in his draft evaluation, along with his hand strength and frame, is part of what made him such an intriguing fit.
Practice has already given him a crash course. Zach Sieler has been one of the defenders testing him most often, and Friday ended with Sieler getting past him and into the path toward Malik Willis. Proctor didn’t treat it like a setback so much as another lesson.
“Just got to stay engaged,” Proctor said. “That's the biggest thing.
They dialed it up pretty well, and they won the competition, but that's all it's about - competition, having fun going out there. We can learn from that play.
We'll get to it in the film room.”
That kind of message has been a constant from the people around him. Proctor says the coaching staff and his teammates have stressed confidence, aggression and speed of thought.
“We're here for a reason,” said Proctor. “That's what they've been telling me, and don't be afraid to mess up.
Don't be afraid to make mistakes. Just go out there and give it your all.
If you don't have the right assignment, at least get somewhere fast.”
He’s also leaning on the veterans around him, especially Brewer, who brought him into a conference room when he signed his three-year, $52.5 million contract extension. Proctor sees that as part of the bond they’ve already built, and he pointed to Brewer as one of the best leaders helping him settle in in Miami.
The Dolphins are trying to line everything up across the front. Patrick Paul is expected to be the cornerstone at left tackle, with Proctor next to him at left guard.
Brewer was paid to handle center. Jonah Savaiinaea is back at right guard for his second year, and Austin Jackson is set to finish the line at right tackle.
There have been encouraging signs, too. Proctor said the run blocking looked good during Friday’s practice, and he credited the work the line has been doing in team meetings. One thing he keeps coming back to is the importance of snap counts, because he knows the offense needs him to win his share of the first contact.
“Maybe the bad reps that I have, I'm thinking too much, and I'm not taking off the ball, and that gives them enough time to put their hands on me,” said Proctor. “I have to get first significant contact.”
Even the South Florida weather has become part of the lesson. Proctor said the heat and humidity aren’t foreign to him after Alabama, but he knows preparation matters, especially when hydration and sodium become part of the job.
“Coming from Bama, the weather is kind of similar,” said Proctor. “So I know how to take care of that.
It’s all about the preparation beforehand. If you're not prepared to come out here in the heat, then you're going to die.”
And while pickle juice is a familiar NFL remedy for cramps, Proctor said it’s not something he leans on much.
“I don't really cramp too much and that's what they use that for.”
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