Dan Morgan has not drafted an offensive lineman since taking over as general manager. This will be his third draft in charge of the Carolina Panthers, and there is a growing sense that 2026 could be the year.
Morgan opted to invest heavily in veterans to bring about immediate improvements to the protection in front of quarterback Bryce Young. Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis immediately changed the dynamic. Taylor Moton and Ikem Ekwonu became a decent tackle tandem, and Cade Mays provided stability to the center position when hope was fading.
Things are shakier now, with Ekwonu injured and Mays no longer around. That's why some shrewd analysts have the Panthers drafting a lineman in the first round at No. 19. But legendary former college coach Nick Saban gave Carolina more than enough reasons to pause on one of the most polarizing prospects at the top end of this class.
Nick Saban's comments on Kadyn Proctor should have Carolina Panthers' attention
Kadyn Proctor has all the size, length, and athleticism needed to thrive with a little extra technical polish. Saban, who coached him at Alabama, acknowledged that. And if it doesn't work out at tackle, he'll be an exceptional guard. However, he doesn't stay in shape when away from his team, and he is not self-motivated.
That means Proctor may not be a culture fit in Carolina.
"The issue with him is--he's not a bad person. He'll do whatever you ask him to, once you get him in the building. But when he's not in the building, he might get a little overweight, he might not come in in the best shape, and those are the things you have to manage with him. But I think they're manageable.
"He's not exactly a self-starter who will get in great shape and come to camp like you want him. But if you can get him to come to camp, (once) you got him there, you can get him ready to go. So, I don't think that's a huge negative for the guy."
Saban will know more than most. He believes Proctor can be managed effectively, and he is an immovable object when firing on all cylinders. But considering he is widely expected to be a first-round lock, this is more than enough to raise alarm bells from Carolina's perspective.
Anyone not pulling their weight within Dave Canales' ethos gets found out quickly. It's a self-policing locker room all pulling together in pursuit of one common goal. They need this year's first-rounder to make an immediate impact. If they are constantly managing Proctor's weight and trying to keep him focused, that might be more trouble than it's worth.
Morgan will have all the required information on Proctor and everyone else in contention at No. 19. Even so, Saban's comments aren't exactly the most encouraging.