Devin Asiasi

Devin Asiasi's Biography

Devin Timothy Soane Asiasi, an American football player, was born on August 14, 1997, in San Mateo, California. Raised in the Shoreview community, his sports journey kickstarted in his youth, culminating at De La Salle High School in Concord, California, where he comported himself as a formidable football talent on both the offensive and defensive units. He particularly excelled in his senior year with 17 catches for 311 yards and five touchdowns on offense, paired with 49 tackles, five pass break-ups, and four sacks on defense. His talent and performance earned him a coveted spot in the 2016 U.S. Army All-American Bowl, a testament to his budding prowess.

Asiasi’s reputation as a potential professional football star blossomed as major recruiting platforms, including ESPN.com, Rivals.com, and Scout.com, crowned him with a four-star prospect rating. ESPN positioned him as the third-best tight end in the 2016 collegiate football recruit class and the 44th overall player in the ESPN 300 class of 2016.

In his budding career, Asiasi caught the eyes of many, but none could rival the attention he received from Michigan’s head coach Jim Harbaugh, who personally recruited him during a visit to De La Salle High School in January 2016. Asiasi’s decision to commit to the Michigan Wolverines in February 2016 marked the beginning of his college football journey. His talent started shining almost immediately, as he marked his debut season with the Michigan Wolverines by scoring his first collegiate touchdown in a triumph over Penn State.

However, following his freshman season, Asiasi decided to transfer to UCLA, keen on staying closer to his family in San Mateo. After observing a mandatory transfer rest period of a year in 2017, he plunged into action with the UCLA Bruins in 2018. He wrapped up the season with six catches for 130 yards and one touchdown.

2019 was a breakout year for Asiasi as he played a more significant role in the team. In the 12 games he played that season, he netted 44 receptions for 641 yards and 4 touchdowns, showing a glimpse of his promise in a stunning 141-yard performance against USC, his premier 100-yard game.

The budding star’s spell in college culminated in April 2020 when he was picked by the New England Patriots in the third round of the NFL draft, specifically as the 91st overall pick. His NFL journey had its fair share of hiccups as an injury led to his placement on the injured reserve list in November 2020 until his activation in December. Come the Week 17 game against the New York Jets on January 3, 2021, Asiasi recorded his first two career receptions alongside his first receiving touchdown, contributing to the Patriots’ 28-14 victory.

However, the Patriots waived Asiasi on August 30, 2022, but he was immediately claimed off the waiver by the Cincinnati Bengals the next day. Nevertheless, he exited the Bengals lineup as part of their 53-man roster cutdown on August 29, 2023. Asiasi subsequently joined the Cleveland Browns practice squad (September 26, 2023), before his dispatch on November 7. He then had a short stint with the Tennessee Titans’ practice squad from December 26, but as he wasn’t signed to a reserve/future contract, he became a free agent at the end of the season.

Asiasi not only stands out for his football prowess but also his heritage. He comes from a unique background, being of Samoan and Tongan descent. Today, he navigates his career as a free agent, cementing his place in the annals of American football.