Dolphins defend passing on Caleb Downs for ‘rare’ OT Kadyn Proctor
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The Miami Dolphins had a buffet of incredible options available to them at No. 11 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft. Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain, and wide receiver Makai Lemon were all on the board. Their presence had Dolphins fans ready to order jerseys for whichever player was about to become the newest star of South Beach.
Then, in the blink of an eye, those dreams were dashed. Miami traded back one spot, to No. 12, and took Alabama offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor instead. Afterward, Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan justified the decision with high praise for Proctor.
“Downs and Bain are marvelous players… [but] we thought Proctor was rare,” Sullivan told reporters. “His height, weight, speed, production. The things that he can do on the football field for a man his size? He’s an outlier… we had a lot of conviction on Proctor being a very unique player in this draft, and one that we can build around for years.”
Sullivan added that the importance of protecting quarterback Malik Willis, whom he signed in free agency, played a factor in picking Proctor.
In football, there’s nothing wrong with choosing substance over flash. After all, the game is won in the trenches. Fortunately, if Miami needs someone to catch a screen or run the Wildcat, Proctor can do that, too.
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