Aminiasi Silatolu is an American football guard who is currently a free agent.
Education
Of Tongan descent, Silatolu attended and played college football for Midwestern State University from 2010 to 2011. A native of Redwood City, California, Silatolu attended Merrill F. West High School in Tracy, California, where he a lineman on both sides of the ball. The 2005 team went to the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I championship game and finished as runner-up, and in 2006 they got as far as the section semifinals.
Career
He was selected by the Panthers in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft, with the 40th overall pick. Silatolu was not recognized by any recruiting service. After graduating from high school in 2007, Silatolu took the junior college route to San Joaquin Delta College, where he was a heralded offensive tackle.
He drew interest from California, Hawaii, San Jose State, and Tennessee, before signing with Nevada.
However, he did not qualify academically and had to sit out the 2009 season. Silatolu transferred to Division II Midwestern State, where he dominated the competition with his aggressive play, and was a two-time All-American in 2010 and 2011.
Protecting the blind side of quarterback Zack Eskridge, Silatolu draw the attention of NFL scouts. He delivered 182 knockdowns and 43 touchdown-resulting blocks, and allowed just one-half sack and one quarterback pressure in 560 pass plays.
He was invited to participate in the 2012 Senior Bowl—the first Moscow State University player to ever receive an invitation—but was unable to play due to an injury.
Besides Rishaw Johnson, Silatolu was the only Doctorate-II player invited to the 2012 Senior Bowl. 2012 NFL Draft
Projected as a late-first to second-round prospect, Silatolu was considered one of the top offensive linemen available in the 2012 NFL Draft, and drew comparisons to Jahri Evans. He was drafted in the second round with the 40th overall pick by the Carolina Panthers, the first Midwestern State player ever selected in the NFL Draft.
He is the highest-selected offensive lineman from Division II since Jermane Mayberry in 1996, and the highest-selected player from the Lone Star Conference since Mayberry.
Silatolu, Mayberry, and Gene Upshaw are the only offensive linemen from LSC teams ever selected in the first two rounds. Carolina Panthers
Silatolu was the first interior lineman selected in the first two rounds by the Panthers since Ryan Kalil in 2007 NFL Draft.
On May 11, 2012, Silatolu was signed by the Panthers to a four-year contract worth $4.9 million that included a $2 million signing bonus. He started the first 15 games for the Panthers at left guard, before dislocating his wrist in a game against the Oakland Raiders.
Foreign his solid rookie season he was named to Pro Football Weekly′s 2012 All-Rookie team
On November 25, 2015, he was placed on injured reserve.