D.J. Campbell

In 2016, the Dolphins benefited from Laremy Tunsil‘s slide to No. 13 overall. Although Miami eventually stationed the high-level prospect at his natural left tackle position, Year 1 featured Tunsil at guard while Branden Albert remained on Ryan Tannehill‘s blind side. Kadyn Proctor‘s NFL journey may begin similarly.

The Dolphins intend to use the Alabama left tackle — this year’s No. 12 overall pick — at guard to open his career, GM Jon-Eric Sullivan said during an appearance on the Joe Rose Show (h/t ESPN.com’s Marcel Louis-Jacques). Specifically, the new Miami GM said left guard will be where Proctor begins his NFL run.

While the Dolphins intend to cross-train the college left tackle at both guard and tackle, the team will have him learn LG while 2025 LG Jonah Savaiinaea moves to RG. All 982 of Savaiinaea’s rookie-year snaps came at left guard. Rather than ensure continuity there and have Proctor try right guard to begin his career, a new Dolphins regime will relocate Chris Grier‘s final second-round pick.

Proctor’s draft stock was partially boosted by his left tackle ability, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, as the two tackles drafted before him — Spencer Fano and Francis Mauigoa — were primarily RTs in college. Ditto Lions first-rounder Blake Miller. Proctor played left tackle for three seasons at Alabama, earning first-team All-SEC and second-team All-America honors last season. Our Ely Allen noted in PFR’s mock draft that many teams would be interested in seeing how Proctor looks at guard, and the Dolphins will kick the tires here.

Proctor checked in at 6-foot-6 and 352 pounds at the Combine. He will become one of the NFL’s biggest guards. Sullivan said (via Louis-Jacques) following the Proctor pick — which came after a one-spot trade-down move via Dallas — he could potentially play four positions along the O-line (all but center). Featuring needs at many positions entering the draft, the Dolphins made Proctor their first pick — over the likes of Rueben Bain Jr. and Makai Lemon — of the Sullivan era. The team also traded out of No. 11, giving the Cowboys Caleb Downs access. Passing on Bain and Downs certainly provide expectations for Proctor, whose path to a left tackle job may not materialize as Tunsil’s did nearly 10 years ago.

The Dolphins moved Tunsil to LT in 2017 upon trading Albert to the Jaguars. The Sullivan-Jeff Hafley regime, however, has Patrick Paul going into his second season as the left tackle starter. Austin Jackson is in place at RT, though injuries have regularly impacted the O-line nomad in Miami. Jackson has settled at RT, receiving a three-year extension worth $36MM in late 2023, but he did play guard previously with the Dolphins.

Paul replaced a retired Terron Armstead at LT last year, doing so as Jackson missed 11 games (after missing nine in 2024). Jackson missed 15 games in 2022, with his healthy 2023 leading to the extension. Miami gave Jackson a pay cut this offseason, potentially opening the door for Proctor at RT (the team also lost swing tackle Larry Borom in free agency). Jackson’s deal expires at season’s end. More clarity will come on Proctor’s positional future by then, but for now, a Tunsil-like path at LG to open his career is in the cards.

Miami drafted another guard — Texas’ D.J. Campbell — in Round 6. The team is planning to try the former Longhorns blocker at center in addition to guard, the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson notes. The team also added ex-Charger swingman Jamaree Salyer in free agency, providing another potential answer at tackle or guard.