SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE FOOTBALL MEDIA DAYS

July 16, 2025

Kadyn Proctor

Alabama Crimson Tide

Press Conference

Q. You were recorded early today talking about the quarterback battle, saying you guys really don't know who the quarterback will be. Wondering if you could talk about all three guys and the development you've seen from Keelon specifically?

KADYN PROCTOR: Starting off with Ty, he's been there for four years now. He knows what to do. He's doing his to his best abilities to succeed. And just having that experience, I know he hasn't been a starting quarterback, but he knows what he's going. 4.

Austin Mack has been at that same level, too. Knows what he's doing. Tall guy, lengthy. Something I want to point out is they all can run, they can scoot. The arm talent is crazy from all three of them.

And I'm just proud of Keelon for coming in as a freshmen. It's hard, especially being at SEC at quarterback, but they're all three doing their job. I'm proud of all of them.

Q. I'm curious, when you have a group of very highly touted offensive lineman that come in from this freshmen class, what's your first message to them and be like, okay, this is how the SEC is different?

KADYN PROCTOR: So my first message to them is that I've been through some hard things and I never want them to go through what I had to go through my freshmen year after giving up however many sacks I did.

I just want to show them I love and care for them. If we want to come talk to me, watch film, they can call me up. I just want to be that role model for them. So, yeah.

Q. Ryan Williams kind of flashed last year as a freshmen. Became a superstar throughout the country. Interested to see what he's like behind the scenes with teammates and just how he handled that level of fame and success after one year?

KADYN PROCTOR: Behind the scenes he is a funny guy. If ya'll ever get to talk to him, he's a funny, goofy guy. You've seen of TikTok dances. He's not afraid of who he is, and I love that for him. He's had great success his first, and I know year two will be even better for him.

Q. Wanted to ask about one of our new teammates, Kam Dewberry on the offensive line. What is he like as a teammate and what does he add to that group?

KADYN PROCTOR: What he brings to the group is intensity. He's had those years where he started. He's been playing since early freshman year, so I has been through those tough environments. He knows what's going on.

He's older than me so he has a little bit more experience than me, so some things that I don't know he can teach me and I love that we have those elder guys. Always have a mix of young guys that he can teach too and I can teach, and we feed off each other for sure from the past experiences we've had.

Q. Coach DeBoer mentioned a rotation that ya'll have of six offensive lineman right now. How have you seen that group come along throughout the spring and summer?

KADYN PROCTOR: I would say every single offensive lineman just going from whatever top 6 to all 20 of them, even the walk-ons, we're working our tail off in the weight room, meeting room. Like there is -- especially just want to highlight the freshmen that came in. All of them came in ready to go, ready to work.

I would say even better than me when I came in as a freshmen. They just have that level of intensity to them and I know they want to work. But the top six, whoever those five are that are come August 30th I'm going to be proud of each one of them.

I know that the coaches are going to make the best decision moving forward.

Q. A lot has been made of Thomas Castellanos comments this offseason. What was the reaction within the locker room when the FSU quarterback is saying what he's saying? What does it say about the standard of Alabama that you have an opposing quarterback speaking like that?

KADYN PROCTOR: We really don't really focus on that too much. I mean, it's all going to come down to the preparation. We're going to see on August 30th who the winner is.

That's not the focus right now. We haven't made it to fall camp yet. Still have a couple weeks of summer work outside left.

So that's been the intent and focus now from our group. We're not really giving into whatever anybody else is saying. It's all internal. Keeping it in house.

Q. Kadyn, ya'll's game against Georgia last year, back and forth, a wild one. What immediately comes to mind when you think back to that game?

KADYN PROCTOR: I feel like everybody did their job to the best of their ability and ultimately came out with a dub. And not just the Georgia game. We have had the games -- the SEC is tough. That's how those games go. Keeping a team down like that, I know we got up 28-0, but it's hard keep a team down like that.

It's a great team and it's always exciting when we play them.

Q. A lot was new for Coach DeBoer last year. Have you noticed any growth or development in his second season as your head coach?

KADYN PROCTOR: I would just say that he's more comfortable. It's hard coming into SEC as a first year head coach. I mean, that's stressful for sure.

I don't want anybody to hate on my coach or anything like that so I'm doing everything to my best ability to provide for him to have the best success.

So I would say the comfortability. We're relationship base and that's just what it's been throughout this past year.

Q. You been in the SEC a minute. They say it just means more. Curious if you have an interesting story on your welcome to the SEC moment where you thought, man, it really is different here?

KADYN PROCTOR: I would say just freshmen year. We obviously seen the stats that I gave up and how many sacks. That kind of speaks for itself right there, how hard it was. But one specific play was Middle Tennessee first ever game. I'm taking outside zone track to the right, and before I had got my right foot in the ground, I had a linebacker run through my chest.

He wasn't worrying about the play. He was just trying to run through me. Yep, that's welcome to college football right there. From that day on, I think about it -- just got to laugh it off honestly.

Q. I wanted to ask you about one guy you play alongside and one you go against in practice. Geno VanDeMark, what has he brought to this program last year and what can he bring this year? And then Qua Russaw, how have you seen him develop?

KADYN PROCTOR: For Geno, he's had a lot of experience. He's in his last year of eligibility. He's played a long time of football. He knows what he's doing. He's a smart guy. Ever since going to Alabama, he's gotten stronger, faster.

He's just had that focus and intent knowing he's an older guy that knows this is his last year. He's got a sense of urgency honestly to be the best that he can.

And Qua, I remember a play yesterday where he shot off the ball on me outside of the tight end. It's just hard getting to that guy. That's just how he is. He's a fast, strong, powerful guy. You never know what he's going to do.

Great hands, great feet. Powerful guy. He's a strong dude. That's what I want to highlight about him. He's about business also. So they're both about business.

Q. You've had a unique opportunity being in the SEC playing lots of football there against great opponents, protecting Jalen Milroe, Ryan Williams outside, and even maybe in your time transferring back to Iowa seeing Caitlin Clark. Who's the best college athlete you think you've ever seen?

KADYN PROCTOR: I would say Caitlin Clark for sure. There is talks about who is the best athlete to come out of Iowa. I don't want anybody to say my name. I want them to say Caitlin Clark. The things I've seen her do is crazy.

That's probably -- I want to say that's the best basketball player I've seen honestly.

Q. You talked a couple timings about the struggles from freshmen year. What's the biggest reason for that and what do you think you've been able to change so that you're not getting beaten all the time and giving up sacks?

KADYN PROCTOR: I feel like I got flustered a lot. It's hard thinking. I play slower when you think. You get to the ball and you're not really sure about what you're doing. That was the biggest part. Not the weight or anything like that, because I played last season ten pounds heavier than my freshmen season and I had better stats than my freshmen year.

So I feel like it's just thinking. It's hard mentally. He's a mental challenge, especially playing in tough environments, so...