TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — After a few months away from the team, Kadyn Proctor’s towering frame was a welcomed sight for Alabama as it opened its preseason camp Wednesday.

Proctor, who started at left tackle during his freshman season, participated in his first official practice back with the Crimson Tide since undergoing a back-and-forth trip through the transfer portal this offseason. The five-star lineman originally transferred back home to Iowa in January before returning to Tuscaloosa during the spring portal in April.

While Proctor was a familiar sight for Alabama on Wednesday, his place in the pecking order is a bit different. Still working toward earning back his starting role, the sophomore lined up at left tackle during the second unit while redshirt sophomore Elijah Pritchett manned the first-team tackle role.

Another noticeable difference in Proctor is his size. Last year, the towering lineman was listed at 6-foot-7, 360 pounds but played well over that weight. While Proctor’s listing hasn’t changed on Alabama’s official roster, he appears much slimmer in his second season with the Tide.

When asked Wednesday about Proctor’s offseason transformation, first-year head coach Kalen DeBoer said it’s hard to judge the lineman due to not spending time with him last year. However, first impressions from preseason camp are promising.

“It feels like he’s in really good shape, and lean,” DeBoer said. “When you ask people who would have an understanding, Coach Ballou and so forth, it would be nothing but positive about the progress he has made. Strength and explosive numbers I know are up, that’s fact, that’s real. And also the way his body looks. Leaner. He’s just so dense and has so much mass he’s going to be big no matter what.”

“Love his demeanor out there. Good to have him back. Good to have him here.”

Proctor wasn't the only notable lineman returning to Alabama's front on Wednesday. Washington transfer Parker Brailsford was also back working with the team after missing most of spring camp due to non-football-related issues.

DeBoer stated all offseason that Brailsford was never in bad standing with the team and that no further complications are expected regarding his return to the field. Wednesday, Brailsford served as Alabama’s first-team center during the media viewing period.

“These guys up front, a couple of them haven’t been throughout the spring,” DeBoer said. “Parker’s now back in there, Kadyn’s here. Pritchett still took a lot of reps. He had a nice day, he did a nice job. A lot of mixing and matching, especially at the tackle position. The interior three was pretty consistent.”

During the media-viewing portion of practice, Alabama’s first-team offensive line featured Pritchett, Tyler Booker, Brailsford, Jaeden Roberts ad Wilkin Formby from left to right. The second unit consisted of Proctor, Olaus Alinen, Roq Montgomery, Michigan State transfer Geno VanDeMark and Miles McVay from left to right.

After working primarily at left tackle in the spring, Pritchett is expected to take reps at both left and right tackle during preseason camp. Meanwhile, Formby and McVay are expected to remain primarily at right tackle through the preseason.

Wednesday’s practice was the first of 20 preseason workouts Alabama will hold leading up to game week of its season opener against Western Kentucky on Aug. 31. There figures to be plenty of mixing and matching over the next few week as the Tide looks to hammer out its strongest starting five up front. Finding that perfect formula will be key in the Tide’s success this fall.

“It’s huge,” DeBoer said. “That’s where it all starts. I think your team is always going to be maximized based on what your offensive line can do.”