Scouting Report: Brandon Spikes, ILB, Florida

Ht: 6'3 Wt: 256 40: 4.76

Strengths: He is an excellent tackler who excels through his tackles. Shows great technique and consistently wraps up the ball carrier. Is very physical and aggressive. He is a hard, violent hitter. Does a decent job at breaking free from blockers, but he needs to work on being more consistent. Has great awareness and can read plays extremely well. Does a great job of exploding into the running lane. He is great in coverage, is able to read the QB's eyes exceptionally well for a linebacker. Has soft hands and is able to make interceptions. He is an effective pass-rusher.

Weaknesses: He occasionally is too aggressive in run defense and can over-pursue. He takes poor angles at times as well. Often goes for the big hit rather than the tackle, needs to break down more often for the tackle. Needs to work on getting lower when tackling. After returning an interception for a TD, he punted the football into the crowd; which drew a flag. This shows a lack of judgment and brings up character concerns.

Summary: Cousin of San Francisco linebacker Takeo Spikes; Brandon Spikes plays with heart and passion, and it is obvious once you watch him play. He is a violent hitter who plays an aggressive style of football. He has a rare ability of reading plays exceptionally well, which is extremely valuable in the NFL as a rookie. He is very aggressive in the running game, almost to a point where it hurts him. He needs to work on not being too aggressive as to where he outruns the play. He needs to also work on his angles he takes to get to the football. Once you watch Brandon Spikes play football, you can tell just how passionate this young man is about the game. He stayed his senior year at Florida, despite being projected to go in the 1st round of the 2009 NFL draft. He's one of the leaders of the Gator defense and one of the fiercest hitters in this year's NFL draft.

Draft Projection: 1st Round