Nick Saban shades former Alabama recruit Kadyn Proctor before NFL Draft: ‘Not really a self-starter’

As ESPN’s Nick Saban has ventured into the media since leaving Alabama, he has remained a confidante and mentor to many across the college football world.

Notably, Saban was closely entwined in Lane Kiffin’s move from Ole Miss to LSU last year. Beyond his vast coaching tree, Saban also frequently goes to bat for the many players he recruited and coached in Tuscaloosa, some of whom are still in college football.

One of those players is offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor, who is projected to be a top-10 pick in the NFL Draft this week. But during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show the day before the draft, the typically supportive Saban struck a more negative tone.

Saban initially praised Proctor, stating the young tackle is “so talented” and that he expects Proctor to be “a really good player.” But a beat later, Saban offered a brutally honest assessment of his former player that doesn’t exactly paint the best picture for teams that might want to draft him.

“The issue with him is, he’s not a bad person. He’ll do whatever you ask him to do once you get him in the building,” Saban said.

“But when he’s not in the building, he might get a little overweight, he might not come in in the best shape, and those are the kinds of things you have to manage with him. But I think they’re manageable.

“In other words, he’s not really a self-starter who’s going to get into shape and come into camp like you want him. But if you can get him to come to camp, if you’ve got him there, and get him ready to go. So I don’t think that’s a huge negative for the guy, and I think he’s going to be a really good player.”

“People look for reasons not to draft guys..

Kadyn Proctor is so talented and he can move..

I think he’s gonna be a really good player in the NFL” ~ Coach Saban #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/H3SsCyRhDX

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 22, 2026

While Saban ultimately endorsed Proctor’s NFL prospects, the criticisms he expressed about the young tackle could be concerning to teams. Proctor and his reps might wish the legendary coach had been a little less honest with this answer.

However, audiences always want commentators to be more authentic, especially around the draft, when analysis is almost always upbeat and optimistic. If Saban is going to stick in media and really break through with incisive commentary that makes fans smarter and more informed on college football, sometimes that is going to mean crossing his former players and colleagues.