Kaleb Proctor was already looking like an NFL prospect before his senior season at Southeastern Louisiana, so entering the transfer portal prior to his final season made sense.
Moving to a different, more high-profile program – and getting the money to do so – ultimately did not.
"(Interest) was very, very heavy," Proctor said. "When it came time to make a decision, it came down to the guys I came in with. I came in with one of the best freshmen classes that you could. Most of these guys will be in my wedding one day.
"When it came down to, 'Hey, who do you want to play with your last year? A new guy, or your brother?' I stayed, and I don't regret it one bit."
That's the defensive lineman the Cardinals got on Saturday, when they opened the final day of the NFL draft by taking Proctor in the fourth round. The talent is there, with the Southland Conference Player of the Year totaling nine sacks and 13 tackles for loss in 13 starts.
Proctor had 16 sacks in 48 games, with 35 career starts.
He shined the week of the East-West Shrine Bowl ("I could see my name appear more and more and more" on draft lists, Proctor said) and even with his small-school pedigree, he did have two sacks against LSU this season.
Eric Galko, the director of football operations of the Shrine Bowl, said Proctor could be the next Kobie Turner. Turner is a standout Rams defensive end who played most of his college career at Richmond.
Proctor doesn't know Turner, but he did talk with Eagles linebacker Jalyx Hunt, the 2024 Southland Defensive Player of the Year, about the leap to the NFL.
"He told me it's just ball," Proctor said. "Things amp up, but playing ball is playing ball."
At 6-foot-2 and 291 pounds, Proctor doesn't have idea size – one of the reasons he ended up at SE Louisiana – but he uses his 33-inch arms and athleticism to beat blockers.
"I feel I bring a twitchiness to the table," Proctor said.
He praised the "family-type environment" he felt on a recent visit to Tempe, liked how they cared what he could provide the team. The Cardinals were one of a couple of teams he expected to land. He has admired new defensive linemate Walter Nolen III from afar; he said it was "awesome" that new defensive linemate Roy Lopez was the one to announce his choice when Lopez did it from Mexico on Saturday.
He couldn't have been happier when it came to pass.
"It's a great Saturday, what can I say," Proctor said, his smile obvious as he spoke on a conference call. "It's a beautiful Saturday in Oak Grove, Louisiana, man."
More to come on azcardinals.com after the end-of-draft press conference.
