MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- On Friday, the final play of practice, Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Zach Sieler ripped past left guard Kadyn Proctor to "sack" quarterback Malik Willis. The rookie Proctor has largely held his own through the team's first week of training camp but results like this against a veteran like Sieler are bound to happen.
And Proctor appreciates the lesson.
"These guys, they don't play around -- they're fast, they're physical, but it's really about the mental part," Proctor said. "It's not way faster than college or anything like that. It's not too overwhelming, but what these guys are doing with their technique, especially a guy like Sieler who's been doing this for a long time, it's good for me to go against him because I'm learning a lot."
Proctor was the first draft pick under first-year general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and will ultimately be tasked with helping anchor a physical Dolphins offensive line. For now, though, the Alabama product is acclimating to the NFL and learning how to be a pro, all while also learning a new position.
Despite playing left tackle at Alabama, Proctor will play left guard this season and will not cross-train. First-year coach Jeff Hafley said the move is what's best for the 2026 Dolphins, and will keep the rookie from getting overwhelmed.
"He's going to start off at left guard and try to get good at one position," Hafley said. "I think that's fair to him and it's the best thing. Ultimately, we need to do what's best for our team. In this case, I think it's best for him and I think it's best for our team. So that's what we've decided to start and we'll go from there."
Miami's plan with Proctor loosely mirrors that of right tackle Austin Jackson, who played left tackle as a rookie, but spent his second season at left guard before settling in at his current position.
Jackson blossomed at right tackle, signing a three-year, $36 million extension in 2023. He credited the time he spent at guard for helping him grow as a professional.
"It definitely gave me a better spatial understanding in NFL," he said. "Contact happens really fast at guard, which honestly helped me at tackle a little bit, just getting back into space and then be able to utilize the sets I did at guard at tackle. So it kind of worked hand in hand, very different sets. But I think just going through the season and playing big name guys at guard also just helped me a little with confidence too."
Proctor said the transition to guard has gone relatively smoothly, adding that "everything's a little closer" than what he was accustomed to at tackle. But he also said he's learning to "strike first" and assert himself on the field.
The 21-year-old Proctor said he can't afford to not perform on the field -- he needs to push guys like Sieler in the same way they push him. But the pressure to produce won't give way for doubt to creep in, even when he makes mistakes.
"[Doubt will] never creep in because I know I've experienced this since I'm 17 years old," he said. "You let a bad play linger, it's going to keep going, keep going, keep going. And you're not going to have the success that you want. So it's kind of putting it behind you. It's just like that last play [of practice] -- I lost. I know that. I can accept that I'm going to lose some reps.
"We're built for this. We're here for a reason. That's kind of what [teammates have] been telling me. And don't be afraid to mess up. Don't be afraid to make mistakes. Just go out there and give it your all. And if you don't got the right assignment, at least get somewhere fast."