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SCOUT'S TAKE

Skinny: Spikes possesses good size and range for an inside linebacker, and has the ability to go sideline to sideline to make a play. Spikes has a great football IQ—he has the ability to diagnose plays, anticipate where the ball is going, and takes great angles when pursing the ball carrier. He is not great in coverage, but can do it if he is asked to. The leader of the tenacious Gator defense is back after making a tough decision to return. He comes back to a Gator defense that will have all 11 starters returning. He was a sure-fire first day draft pick had he entered the draft, but decided to come back to school, earn his degree, and attempt to win back-to-back National Championships. Spikes is the complete package and may be the most NFL-ready linebacker in college football. His size is prototypical for a linebacker and he uses his strength, speed, power, and quickness to dominate his opponents. He accumulated 93 tackles, eight for loss, two sacks, two pass deflections, and four interceptions in 2008. His 2007 stats were outstanding as well: 131 tackles, 16 for loss, 1.5 sacks, one forced fumble, three fumble recoveries, and seven pass deflections. After two monster seasons under his belt to go along with a National Championship, look for Spikes to end his college career with a bang and put up more phenomenal numbers in 2009.

Stock: Spikes had a better season in his sophomore year than he did last year, but he’s a productive player who can make game changing plays at the middle linebacker spot. That’s a hard-to-find quality, which is why Spikes will be drafted early if he keeps playing up to his potential.

NEWS

02.11.10 - While most of the other draft-eligible Gators have chosen to prepare for the Combine elsewhere, Spikes made the decision to stay in Gainesville and go through workouts with highly respected UF strength and conditioning coordinator Mickey Marotti. The other Gator working out under Marotti is wide receiver Riley Cooper. “Coach Mick is the best,” Cooper said. “I’m following the same plan Percy (Harvin) did a year ago under Coach Mick.” Spikes considered leaving early for the NFL Draft a year ago, but decided to return for his senior season. Some projected him to be a first-round pick last year. Now, many have him slotted to go in the second round. – Gator Sports

02.06.10 - Spikes had his worst season in 2009. He missed two games to a groin injury, one to a suspension for an eye-gouging incident against Georgia and finished with a pedestrian 52 tackles while fighting through heel tendinitis. Teammate Ryan Stamper outplayed him at linebacker. His production dipped drastically each year — from 131 tackles in 2007 more than 30 tackles less in each of his next two years — but he was always there to make the big play for Florida. Four of Spikes' six career interceptions went for touchdowns. Still, the Gators defensive captain says he has no regrets as he looks toward his "dream" of playing in the NFL. "I'm anxious to get started," said Spikes, one of 10 Gators expected to appear in Indianapolis. "Hopefully, I can go to the league and grab it by the neck." – Orlando Sentinel

11.02.09 - Florida MLB Brandon Spikes has been suspended for the first half of Saturday's game against Vanderbilt after he apparently attempted to gouge the eyes of a Georgia player in last week’s game.

05.30.09 - Florida’s Brandon Spikes surprised many by announcing in January that he would be returning to Gainesville for his senior season despite getting a first round pick grade by professional talent evaluators. The 6-foot-2, 245-pound middle linebacker has led the Gators in tackles the last two seasons and he has totaled 229 total tackles. The rugged inside linebacker is projected to be selected in the early-to-middle part of the first round in 2010. Spikes should be the first pure Florida linebacker selected in the opening round since the Pittsburgh Steelers selected Huey Richardson back in 1991.

03.27.09 - Three months ago Brandon Spikes turned down potentially millions of dollars to return to Florida for his senior season. Spikes said he and the rest of the Gators are driven by the chance to win three national championships in four years. The word is, Spikes has been the main guy riding players in workouts and drills, saying he won't have anyone loafing around when the Gators are on a championship mission. "It's definitely a dream,'' he said. "You feel like (you've gotten) two out of four already. And all our guys were coming back, we weren't losing anybody. I'm real close with the guys on defense. And then guys like Tim Tebow coming back for their senior year, that kind of helped me with my decision. Absolutely, that's the drive for us right now.''

01.07.09 - The heart of Florida’s defense beats to the thump of a 66-year-old man. Growing up in Shelby, N.C., Brandon Spikes was turned on to football by watching NFL Films clips of a linebacker who was impossibly big, remarkably strong and memorably vicious. Dick Butkus, No. 51. “There were so many plays where I saw him being relentless, just killing guys,” Spikes said as his Gators prepared to meet Oklahoma for the BCS championship Thursday night at Dolphin Stadium in Miami. “He was a very violent player. I wanted to mold my game after him.” Butkus is why Spikes has worn 51 since as long as he can remember.

12.31.08 - After seeing limited action in 2006 Spikes had a huge 2007 season recording 131 total tackles with 16 for loss. He added 1.5 sacks seven pass breakups and three fumble recoveries. This season Spikes had 87 tackles with eight for loss and a pair of sacks to his credit. He has filed his paperwork with the NFL for evaluation and would be an early round selection if he chooses to leave school early.

12.16.08 - Florida linebacker Brandon Spikes, who led the Gators with 87 tackles this season, was named first team AP All-American.

VITALS

Medical Examiner: Missed the first game of the 2008 season due to a foot injury.

Honor Roll: Spikes was a consensus first-team All-American and first-team All-SEC performer in 2008. He also was selected as a Bronko Nagurski Trophy finalist and semifinalist for the Lombardi Award and Chuck Bednarik Award. In 2007 he earned first-team All-SEC honors from the coaches and Associated Press.

High School: Spikes played at Crest High School in North Carolina. He was rated the number one prospect in North Carolina by Rivals.com and the number six overall prospect in the country according to Scout.com. He had the honor of playing in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl following his senior season. He posted 98 tackles, three sacks, seven interceptions, and five forced fumbles as a senior.

Personal: Spikes is majoring in anthropology.

Bio

Photo Credit: SEC Sports Media