Ryan Kalil Ryan Kalil ( born March 29 , 1985 ) is an American football center for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League ( NFL ) . Kalil played college football at the University of Southern California ( USC ) , where he was a member of two national championship teams , was named a first - team All - American , and won the 2006 Morris Trophy . He was drafted by Carolina in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft . Kalil has been to three straight Pro Bowl s ( 2009 , 2010 , 2011 ) and is currently the highest paid center in NFL history . High school . Kalil went to Servite High School in Anaheim , California , where he was teammates with Matthew Slater . College career . Kalil attended the University of Southern California , where he played for the USC Trojans football team . He was a 2005 " Sports Illustrated " All - American , and won the USC Trojans ' Bob Chandler Award in 2005 and Courage Award in 2004 and on the watch list for the Lombardi Award . Kalil was on the official watch list for the Rimington Trophy for the top college football center and the Outland Trophy watch list for the best lineman . He was named to the 2005 and 2006 Pac - 10 coaches and Rivals . com All Pac - 10 team First Team . He was a Pro Football Weekly All - American choice and a Rivals . com second - team All American and SI . com honorable mention All - American . Kalil was voted " lineman of the year " by his Trojans teammates and won the 2006 Morris Trophy . Kalil was invited to play in the Senior Bowl prior to the 2007 NFL Draft . Professional career . He ran the 40 yard dash in 4 . 94 seconds at the 2007 NFL Combine and bench press ed 225 pounds 34 times . His performances at the combine and the Senior Bowl impressed scouts and led many analysts to project he would be selected in the first or second round of the 2007 NFL Draft . Carolina Panthers . Pre - draft predictions turned out to be correct , as Kalil was selected in the second round of the draft with the 59th pick by the Carolina Panthers . He was the first center to be selected in the 2007 draft and joined his teammate from the USC Trojans , Dwayne Jarrett , who the Panthers also selected in the 2nd round . In 2007 , Kalil started 3 games . In 2008 Kalil was named the full - time starter at Center . He started in all 12 games that he appeared , missing 4 due to injury . In 2009 , Kalil was voted second - alternate to the 2010 Pro Bowl . He later was given a spot due to an injury by the first alternate . In 2010 , Kalil was named a first alternate , but was added to the roster after Giants center Shaun O ' Hara pulled out . In 2011 , Kalil received a franchise tag from the Carolina Panthers . On August 19 , 2011 , the Carolina Panthers signed Kalil to a 6 - year $ 49 million deal , making him the highest paid center in NFL history . He was selected to the Pro Bowl as the starting center of the NFC team . Personal . Kalil ' s father Frank played football for the University of Arkansas and the University of Arizona . He was drafted by the National Football League Buffalo Bills in 1982 and later played in the United States Football League until 1984 . His mother , Cheryl ( nee Van Cleave ) , was Miss California in 1981 . He is of Lebanese and Mexican heritage , and has two siblings : brother Matt , is a former starting offensive tackle at USC , and was drafted 4th overall by the Minnesota Vikings in 2012 . His sister , Danielle , is a model and aspiring singer . Kalil has interests in the film industry , having made claymation films as a child and worked with fellow USC - alumnus Will Ferrell on a football training spoof for the NFL Network . Kalil ' s brother Matt Kalil plays for the Minnesota Vikings .