2026 4th round pick is Kaleb Proctor DT

[BullheadCardFan]

Solid choice?

 

[BullheadCardFan]

Kaleb Proctor
DT
6' 2" 291 lbs SE Louisiana
19 POS RK
201 OVR RK
48 GRADE
Pre-Draft Analysis

Though Proctor does not have the massive build of a prototypical defensive tackle, he tested well at the combine. He is a very fluid athlete with good lateral quickness. He has a quick first step, allowing him to create immediate penetration into the backfield. Proctor is effective with his swim move, displaying the quickness to slip by blocks, and he can reduce his surface area to avoid contact when shooting gaps. He also shows the ability to straight arm and disengage from blockers. Proctor's lightness on his feet shows up when he is on the run making plays in pursuit. He has the range to track down quarterbacks outside the pocket. While still technically raw, Proctor has upside as a pass rusher but will need a deeper pass-rush plan. He dominated FCS level competition, held his own against FBS/Power 4 opponents and should be able to lean on his athletic traits when stepping up to the NFL. -- Scouts Inc.

 

[BullheadCardFan]

Adds to the Dline

I like that we are building the trenches

 

[gmabel830]

A guy several posters called out as liking at this pick

 

[BullheadCardFan]

Kaleb Proctor Defensive Line SE Louisiana | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report

Rating: 83.3 Rank: #26 Forty: 4.79 Proctor's calling card at the next level is obvious: he can rush the passer from the interior. That pass rush ability is not just good for an FCS play...

www.nfldraftbuzz.com

Scouting Report: Strengths

First-step quickness is truly special for an interior lineman, and it showed up consistently in one-on-one drills at the Shrine Bowl against FBS competition.
Owns a deep toolbox of rush moves including clubs, swims, arm-overs, and double-hand swipes, rarely relying on the same counter twice in a game.
Generates excellent pocket collapse from the three-technique spot, funneling quarterbacks into traffic even when he does not finish the sack himself.
Fluid hips and natural bend allow him to turn the corner inside, a skill most defensive tackles at this level simply cannot replicate.
Violent hands at the point of attack with real pop on contact, capable of jolting solo blockers backward and resetting the line of scrimmage.
Production spiked dramatically each season, going from a rotational freshman contributor to an All-American with nine sacks as a senior, showing a rare developmental arc.
Thrives as a stunter and looper in designed games, carrying speed through traffic with the body control to redirect and finish at the quarterback.
Competitive toughness is evident on film, posting two sacks and three TFLs at LSU against offensive linemen who will hear their names called well before him on draft night.

 

[MadCardDisease]

I thought he would be a 3rd rounder.

 

[BullheadCardFan]

Scouting Report: Summary
Proctor's calling card at the next level is obvious: he can rush the passer from the interior. That pass rush ability is not just good for an FCS player, it is genuinely rare. The burst, the hand violence, the variety of moves, the ability to collapse the pocket from the three-technique are all translatable traits that do not require a leap of faith to envision working on Sundays. His Shrine Bowl week only reinforced this, as he looked every bit the part against blockers from Power Four programs. When a defensive tackle can consistently win one-on-one reps with quickness and technique rather than sheer mass, that kind of skill travels.

The concerns are just as clear, though, and they are the kind that will define his NFL ceiling. At 280 pounds with below-average height and length for the position, Proctor is a niche fit. He is not going to hold up as an every-down defender against NFL run games, and his tackling issues in the open field need to be cleaned up quickly. Combination blocks at the college level gave him trouble, and those will only get more frequent and more violent against professional offensive lines. He needs a defensive coordinator who will deploy him in advantageous situations and not ask him to be something he is not.

The path to an NFL roster runs through a specific type of scheme: an aggressive, movement-heavy front that values penetration over two-gapping, where Proctor can be used as a designated pass rusher on obvious passing downs and as a disruptive interior piece in sub-packages. Think of him as a weapon, not a foundation piece. His overall rank in this class reflects a player who does one thing at an extremely high level but carries enough limitations to give teams pause about his every-down viability. In the right situation, with a coaching staff that knows exactly how to use him, Proctor has the upside to become a productive rotational pass rusher who makes offenses account for the interior of their line on third down. That is real value, even if it comes with a narrow margin for error.

 

[BullheadCardFan]

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[BullheadCardFan]

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[BullheadCardFan]

2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Southeastern Louisiana DT Kaleb Proctor

All my scouting notes on the strengths, concerns, usage/role, skill set summary, NFL comparison and grade/projection for Southeastern Louisiana DT Kaleb Proctor

jonledyard.substack.com

 

[gmabel830]

His strength is interior pass rush.. seems like a guy you'd rotate in on passing situations

 

[Totally_Red]

Sounds like a guy who can eventually line up next to Walter Nolen and provide some pass rush up the middle on 3rd down.

 

[CardsFan88]

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[az jam]

Eric Galko

The #Cardinals got an IMPACT pass rusher on the inside in Kaleb Proctor.One of the biggest risers among the DL prospects in the class since the end of the season. Dominant
@ShrineBowl
week. Elite NFL Combine (4.79 forty, top-5 in every category among DTs)And remove the small school questions - Proctor had 3 TFLs, 2 sacks against LSU this year. This year’s Kobie Turner!

 

[PJ1]

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Really like the quickness. Can run people down.

 

[ajcardfan]

His strength is interior pass rush.. seems like a guy you'd rotate in on passing situations

That's it. I am personally okay with that. Line him up next to Nolen on 3rd down and let him rip.

 

[House of Cards]

If there is someone else you really like now I would give my 5-6-7 picks and move up now

The chances of getting anything worthwhile in the 5th or later in this weak class is pretty slim

So if there’s anyone that you think could help that’s on the board now—jump on it

 

[football karma]

you have to figure a year in the NFL will let him put 10 lbs on without sacrificing quickness

and the list of undersized but twitchy interior DTs who were really effective is long

this feels like a pretty good bet at this point

 

[602 Native]

More sacks than Arvell Reese

 

[602 Native]

you have to figure a year in the NFL will let him put 10 lbs on without sacrificing quickness

and the list of undersized but twitchy interior DTs who were really effective is long

this feels like a pretty good bet at this point

I just read he weighs 291

 

[RON_IN_OC]

This is the, we hope CC will re-sign for one more year and give us 12 to 15 snaps a game and mentor this kid type of pick.

 

[ajcardfan]

I just read he weighs 291

Yes, and that probably overestimates by a few pounds.

 

[JCSunsfan]

4.79 40 for a big guy with great quickness off the line. He is the type of player that will really make a team pay for double teaming another d-lineman. He doesn’t handle double teams himself.

 

[football karma]

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that LSU game might have gotten him drafted on its own

 

[Adrian]

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