When Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List finally arrives, you know college football is right around the corner. The list, which began in 2005, is Feldman’s annual report on the most athletic players in the country, now published for The Athletic.
The 2025 version of the list debuted on Monday, 26 days before Alabama’s season opener at Florida State in Week 1, and the Crimson Tide were featured prominently. The Tide are returning three offensive line starters for the 2025 season, and all three earned a mention from Feldman, which he said on social media was the first time that’s ever happened.
Been doing the Freaks List for 20 years. This is the first time I’ve ever had three O-linemen from the same team on it. @AlabamaFTBL has three guys who bench over 500 pounds but the way they can move is even more impressive: https://t.co/bDq95e6FRe
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) August 4, 2025
Kadyn Proctor, Parker Brailsford, and Jaeden Roberts all featured in Feldman’s Freaks List
Proctor, at 6-foot-7, 366 pounds, was the No. 2 player on the Freaks List, only behind Jeremiah Smith from Ohio State, who is viewed, almost universally, as the best player in college football. Proctor earned his spot for his ridiculous strength, squatting over 800 pounds, and for his, well, freaky athleticism, with a vertical leap of 32 inches.
Proctor is entering his third year as the starting left tackle for the Crimson Tide, and because of his uncanny physical abilities, is considered one of the top prospects for the 2026 NFL Draft. With questions at right tackle and a new full-time starting quarterback for the first time in Proctor's career, he’ll be leaned on in pass protection this year.
Anchoring the offensive line is Parker Brailsford, who was the center for Kalen DeBoer’s Joe Moore Award-winning unit in 2023 at Washington. Brailsford slotted in at No. 20 on Feldman’s list, with the writer citing his 505-pound bench press and 33-inch vertical as two of the biggest reasons why.
Brailsford will be flanked to his right by returning starter Jaeden Roberts, who was No. 27 on the list, which included 101 players. Like Proctor, Roberts squatted over 800 pounds, and like both Proctor and Brailsford, he bench pressed over 500 pounds.
Much of DeBoer’s attention this fall camp will be paid to the battle for starting reps at left guard between Geno VanDeMark and Kam Dewberry. Even with uncertainty at left guard and right tackle, where Wilkin Formby will get his second opportunity as a starter after losing the job last year, the Tide should have one of the best offensive lines in the country, and they could need it to win the SEC with first-year starter Ty Simpson.
In 2024, much of Alabama’s production on the ground came via Jalen Milroe’s ridiculous athleticism. A freak in his own right, Milroe operated the run game primarily out of the shotgun with the threat of his legs forcing the defense to play 11-on-11 football.
Simpson, his likely replacement, does not present such a threat. So, Alabama will have to be more traditional on the ground, even running from under center, and rely more heavily on its running backs in the ground game. That puts the onus on the O-line to create running lanes, and with three of them benching over 500 pounds, that shouldn’t be a problem.