What Kadyn Proctor’s anticipated departure means for Iowa football

IOWA CITY — When Kadyn Proctor informed Iowa football of his intentions to leave the program on Tuesday, it delivered a familiar feeling of disappointment for Hawkeye fans.

Proctor’s plans to reenter the portal came almost exactly 15 months after the then-Southeast Polk standout flipped his commitment from Iowa to Alabama as a five-star high school recruit.

Tuesday’s news carries the important caveat that Proctor cannot actually enter the portal until April 16. That theoretically leaves the door open for Proctor, who was a Hawkeye for a mere 59 days after spending only a year at Alabama, to change his mind again.

But as spring practices begin on Wednesday, the 6-foot-7 offensive lineman is no longer listed on Iowa’s team roster. Here is where that leaves the Hawkeyes:

Limited NIL losses

Iowa’s Swarm Collective did not lose much money on Proctor during his stint with the Hawkeyes.

Proctor received “some money” from Swarm’s corporate arm — Swarm Inc., which connects athletes with local businesses — Swarm founder Brad Heinrichs said in an interview with KXNO-AM in Des Moines.

Heinrichs said Proctor received about 15 percent of his annual compensation so far via Swarm Inc. However, the former Alabama offensive lineman did not receive any compensation from the nonprofit arm of Swarm — the part of the collective that depends on fans’ donations.

“He has not gotten a single dime from the folks that have donated to the Swarm Collective,” Heinrichs said on KXNO-AM.

Proctor’s anticipated move to Alabama will void his contracts with Swarm Inc. and the nonprofit side of the collective, Heinrichs said.

“Spare you the legalese, but if the guy transfers to Alabama and he’s playing down there, we’re not paying him,” Heinrichs said.

Still an experienced offensive line in 2024

Losing an athlete of Proctor’s caliber would obviously be a significant blow to the Iowa offensive line in 2024.

Proctor was the top-rated offensive tackle nationally in his recruiting class and started every game at left tackle as a true freshman at Alabama. He could have been an immediate contributor for the Hawkeyes.

But the good news for Iowa is the rest of the offensive line is certainly not lacking in experience.

Mason Richman, now a fifth-year senior, has started 39 games at left tackle (and can stay at left tackle now that Proctor is no longer in the mix). At the other tackle position, Gennings Dunker showed considerable improvement and started all but one game as a sophomore in 2023.

Elsewhere on the line, fellow senior Connor Colby has started 36 games (most of which were at guard). Logan Jones, aside from an injury that caused him to miss time in November, has been a mainstay at center since making the move from the defensive line to offensive line in early 2022.

Nick DeJong has started 23 games in his career while working at both guard and tackle. He is a strong candidate to step into the full-time starting role vacated by Rusty Feth although Tyler Elsbury and Beau Stephens are among other options.

Comments: john.steppe@thegazette.com

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