HAMMOND, La. – Former Southeastern Louisiana University defensive tackle Kaleb Proctor was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft Saturday.
 
Proctor, who was the fourth pick of day three and the 104th overall pick, is the first Lion to be drafted since Harlan Miller was a sixth-round pick by the Arizona Cardinals in 2016 and was the first FCS player selected in the 2026 NFL Draft.
 
The 2025 Southland Conference Player of the Year and FCS consensus All-American, Proctor finished seventh in the Buck Buchanan Award voting. With an SLC-high nine sacks, the Oak Grove, Louisiana native was a key member of one of the top defenses in the FCS.
 
Proctor's final season in Hammond was the culmination of steady progress throughout his four years as a Lion. Proctor was a second team All-Southland Conference selection as a junior before a dominant senior campaign this fall.
 
"Kaleb was comfortable in the environment within our program," Southeastern head coach Frank Scelfo commented. "He stayed loyal to Southeastern and was able to grow, prosper and reach his full potential.
 
"When we recruited Kaleb, we were intrigued by his athleticism," Scelfo added. "We talked to his high school coach who was up front with us about his work ethic and character. We look for guys like Kaleb during the recruiting process, who will push themselves to the limit without hesitation. When you combine his will with his physical abilities, he was the total package for us."
 
Scelfo, who has coached at every level in a career that has spanned over three decades, believes Proctor can succeed professionally.
 
"Kaleb's ability to move and bend – his athleticism – is what had all the teams intrigued." Scelfo said. "But it's his character and his ability to be a great teammate that will make him successful. Kaleb's young and his upside is hard to project, but because of his talent and who he is as a person, he has a high ceiling."
 
TICKETS
For ticket information, contact the Southeastern Athletics Ticket Office at (985) 549-5466 or visit www.LionSports.net. Southeastern will continue offering mobile ticketing as the primary source for securing tickets. All tickets will be available via e-mail or text message in a PDF format for fans to download on their phone or print at home. Tickets can also be downloaded to Apple Wallet.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on Southeastern Football, follow @LionUpFootball and @Coach_Scelfo on X, like /SLUathletics on Facebook and follow @lionupfootball on Instagram.
 
TOUCHDOWN CLUB/S CLUB
Fans interested in becoming active supporters of the football program are encouraged to join the Touchdown Club. Lion football alums are encouraged to join the exclusive S Club, which is restricted to Southeastern athletic letter winners.
 
All membership fees and donations to both the Touchdown Club and S Club (football) are available for the exclusive use of the Southeastern football program. Membership information is available by contacting the Lion Athletics Association at laa@southeastern.edu or (985) 549-5091 or visiting www.LionUp.com.
 
CLEAR BAG POLICY
Southeastern Athletics observes a clear bag policy for all ticketed events. For more information on the clear bag policy, visit www.LionSports.net/clear.