Report: Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor Suffers Injury in Warmups Before Opener vs. WKU

Julia StumbaughAugust 31, 2024

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Alabama starting left tackle Kadyn Proctor suffered what appeared to be a left arm injury during warmups before Saturday’s season opener against Western Kentucky, 247Sports’ Mike Rodak reported.

Proctor watched kickoff from the sideline, where he was wearing street clothes and appeared to have his arm in a sling, per Rodak.

Mike Rodak @mikerodakKadyn Proctor has his left arm in an apparent sling on the sideline. It’s covered by his shirt, but he’s holding it over his body. In street clothes now after beginning pregame warmups in uniform at first-team LT but leaving with his injury before the end of warmups.

Elijah Pritchett, who was originally warming up as Alabama’s second-unit right tackle, started in Proctor’s place, per Rodak.

Proctor was heading into his second season with Alabama after starting all 13 games for the Crimson Tide in 2023.

He recorded 20 knockdown blocks on 743 snaps as a freshman, according to Alabama.

Proctor was originally part of the wave of Alabama players who entered the transfer portal following the retirement of longtime head coach Nick Saban.

He transferred to Iowa in January, only to later decide to re-enter the portal and return to Alabama in April.

“He was a guy that was gonna play a significant role in the program, and to lose him and now get him back, that’s a big deal for us,” head coach Kalen DeBoer said in May, per WVUA 23’s Theodore Fernandez.

After Proctor’s return, Max Chadwick of Pro Football Focus ranked the Crimson Tide’s offensive line as the best unit in the country heading into the 2023-24 season.

With Proctor set to flank an interior manned by Tyler Booker, Parker Brailsford and Jaeden Roberts, the OL was expected to be a strength heading into Jalen Milroe’s second season as starting quarterback.

Wilkin Formby, who won the starting right tackle job for the season opener after competing with Pritchett in camp, joined Pritchett in the starting lineup on Saturday.

If Proctor is forced to miss time with the apparent injury, it looks like Alabama could turn to Pritchett and Formby to start in his absence.

Pritchett played in all 13 games as a redshirt sophomore last season, while Formby made three appearances for the Crimson Tide in 2023. Both made the first starts of their college careers against WKU.