2012 NFL Draft: Grading the Carolina Panthers' Selection of Amini Silatolu

The Carolina Panthers are taking a steady approach to the 2012 NFL draft.

That's what we know after the Panthers' second-round selection of Midwestern State guard Amini Silatolu.

The team is putting together what I would refer to as a "confidence builder." Rather than chasing the big name to grab the headlines, the Panthers are building like we often see annually-successful teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers or Baltimore Ravens do.

In fact, as Mike Florio from Pro Football Talk points out, Silatolu was projected to head to Baltimore to replace Ben Grubbs on many draft boards.

So what exactly are the Panthers saying with this selection? And what grade do the Panthers deserve for this pick?

The Panthers know there will be time to grab headlines when the season starts and people see Cam Newton play in year two. Right now, it's not about being flashy. This team is not conducting a draft in desperation, but rather as if they know they're about to heavily compete in the upcoming season.

This pick was about adding a player to the roster who can protect the most important player the franchise has ever had. The Panthers also add a run blocker who will continue to help this line open holes for DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. The 6'4", 311-pound guard from Redwood City, Calif. will plug in as an instant starter in Carolina in training camp.

If we are looking to someone already in the NFL who compares to Silatolu, think a Mike Iupati clone. People often forget the role a player like Iupati has had in the San Francisco 49ers' turnaround.

I like the pick in the sense that this is a player who will serve as one of five Newton protectors over the next decade if he's as advertised. That's a pretty important member of your football team.

While it's not a home run that a receiving weapon could have been, how many of those guys are available where the Panthers selected in the second round?

I grade the Panthers' selection of Silatolu a B- with the potential to rise.

What grade do you give the Panthers for their second-round pick?