How drafting an offensive tackle like Proctor could help the Bears

We are taking a look at several potential prospects who could fit the Bears’ needs in the next week’s NFL draft at No. 25. Here’s how Alabama offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor could work for the Bears.

Why is it a need

The Bears had an obvious need at left tackle heading into last year’s draft and even at points during last season. They’ll enter this year’s draft with a need at left tackle once again, even if it’s not as obvious as it was before.

Chicago started four players at left tackle last season. Braxton Jones was the starter for the first four games before Theo Benedet took over for a stint midway through the season. One of the Bears’ second-round picks from last year’s draft, Ozzy Trapilo, stepped in and became the starter for six games and one playoff game before he injured his patellar tendon in the playoffs. Left guard Joe Thuney started at left tackle in the team’s NFC divisional game.

Trapilo showed signs of being a dependable starter during his time in the role. He held his own in both pass blocking and run blocking despite being moved between left tackle and right tackle during training camp and the season.

But Trapilo’s recovery timeline is up in the air. Poles said Trapilo would return later next season, while head coach Ben Johnson left open the possibility that Trapilo might not return next year. There’s no certainty Trapilo will play up to last season’s level when he does return.

Why Proctor would fit

Johnson’s first year with the Bears showed how important a good offensive line is to the success of the rest of the offense. That’s why securing the left tackle position might be more of a focal point for the Bears this offseason than previously thought.

Proctor is an enticing prospect. At 6-foot-7, 352 pounds and with a 33⅜-inch arm length, he has all the traits the Bears would want to protect quarterback Caleb Williams’ blindside. Proctor has shown that he can knock defenders back with a pop and can block downhill to create gaps, which the Bears would like for their running game.

He also comes with a wealth of experience. Proctor started 40 games over three seasons for the Crimson Tide, playing in some of the biggest collegiate games. Last year, he earned second-team AP All-American, first-team all-SEC, was the co-winner of the Jacobs Blocking Trophy as the SEC’s top offensive lineman and was a finalist for the Lombardi Award, the nation’s top lineman.

There are some concerns. Proctor struggled to make a decision on who to block when the defender wasn’t in front of him at times. That led to pass rushers getting around him with a quick move off the snap.

Will Proctor be on the board at No. 25?

It’s hard to tell exactly where a prospect like Proctor will land in the draft. That’s become evident as it nears.

For most of the draft process, the questions about Proctor’s game made him a late first-round pick. Many analysts thought he would go in the 20s, with some projecting him to be taken in the late teens.

But that’s changed over the past few weeks. Proctor has been linked to the Bears in some mock drafts at No. 25. Yet more and more analysts believe Proctor will be gone by then, as teams could find it hard to pass on a physical prospect like Proctor. Some have moved him up to a top-10 pick.

When the run at offensive tackle starts, it will also determine whether he’ll be around for the Bears. If some offensive tackles are taken in the top 10, that could move Proctor up. But if some tackles aren’t taken until later, that’ll push him back.

To put it more succinctly, it’ll be a toss-up whether Proctor will be around for the Bears.