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Template:Infobox CollegeFootballPlayer

Brandon Spikes (born September 3, 1987 in Shelby, North Carolina) is an American football linebacker for the Florida Gators. During his senior year, he was considered one of the top inside linebackers in college football. He is expected to be drafted in the 2010 NFL Draft.

High School

Spikes played his high school football for Crest Senior High School in Shelby, North Carolina. Coming out of high school he was considered one of the best linebacker prospects, and was rated the number one prospect in the state of North Carolina by Rivals.com and 33rd overall best player in the country according to Scout.com. He was also selected to play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

College career

Spikes chose to play for Florida over many other colleges including Alabama, North Carolina State, and Virginia Tech. He appeared in 47 games for Florida with 39 starts at linebacker. He registered 307 tackles (178 solo) in his career, with 31.5 for loss, including 6.5 QB sacks. He forced two fumbles, recovered four fumbles and had six interceptions which he returned for 139 yards and four touchdowns, more than any other player in the nation and a Florida school record.

Spikes saw limited action in 2006, playing in nine games and recording 15 tackles as the backup to Brandon Siler. He did help the Florida Gators win the BCS National Championship Game against Ohio State.

In 2007 he became a starter after Siler was drafted in the 2007 NFL Draft. He started all 13 games at middle linebacker recording 131 tackles (81 solo), which was second in the Southeastern Conference. He tied for third in the SEC with 3 fumble recoveries. He also earned First-team All-SEC along with teammate Tim Tebow.

Spikes was named a team captain in 2008 and was a consensus First-team All-American and First-team All-SEC selection. He was selected as a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and a semifinalist for the Lombardi Award and Chuck Bednarik Award. He was a starter at middle linebacker and led the team with 93 tackles on the season, including 8.0 for a loss. He returned two interceptions for a touchdown tying the school record. He made six tackles in the BCS National Championship Game win over the University of Oklahoma and had seven tackles, two QB hurries and broke up one pass in the 2008 SEC Championship Game against the University of Alabama. After the season (his junior year) he decided to forgo entry into the 2009 NFL Draft and returned to Florida for another season.

In 2009 his production fell to 68 tackles (36 solo). Some of this decline was to do with the teammates around him developing, while teams also did a better job scheming to stop Spikes. He was one of three finalists for the 2009 Chuck Bednarik Award and a finalist for the 2009 Butkus Award. He was a First-team All-SEC selection and a First-team All-America selection. Spikes was named a midseason All-American by The Sporting News and CBS Sports. In a October 31, 2009 game, Spikes was involved in an incident where he appeared to gouge the eyes of Georgia’s Washaun Ealey. As a result of this, Florida coach Urban Meyer suspended Spikes for the first half of their next game vs. Vanderbilt. Spikes later announced that he would sit out for the entire game.

Professional career

2010 NFL Draft

Spikes is widely believed to be one of the top 5 inside linebackers available in the 2010 NFL Draft.

Personal

As a child, Spikes was raised by his brother, Breyron Middlebrooks, while their mother, Sherry Allen, worked 12-hour days at a fiberglass plant. In 2003 Middlebrooks, was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison, the result of a drug deal in 2001. He writes to Spikes regularly and watches what games he can from his cell at Scotland Correctional Institute in Laurinburg, North Carolina. The guards keep him up to date on Florida's games. Sherry Allen moved to Gainesville after getting laid off despite 23 years at the plant. She now has a janitorial job at a local school. He has a tattoo of his mother on his right forearm. Above his left wrist another tattoo reads: "I love this game." He is the younger cousin of San Francisco 49ers' Takeo Spikes.

References

1. ^ Cooney, Frank (May 11, 2009). "Who's next? Looking ahead to the best of the 2010 draft class". USA Today. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
2. ^ Perloff, Andrew (April 28, 2009). "Sam Bradford goes No.1 to St. Louis Rams in 2010 NFL Mock Draft". Sports Illustrated. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
3. "North Carolina Top 30 2006", Rivals.com, January 23, 2006
4. "Top Recruits 2006", Scout.com
5. Tebow, Spikes make first-team All-SEC
6. Spikes Staying, Harvin Going for UF
7. "SN's midseason All-Americans: Defense", Sporting News, October 20, 2009
8. "CBSSports.com 2009 Midseason All-America Team", CBS Sports, October 22, 2009
9. "Florida suspends Spikes for eye gouge". The Sports Network. Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved 2009-11-02.
10. Smith, Erick (November 2, 2009). "Florida's Spikes to sit for first half of next game after actions against Georgia". USA Today. Retrieved 2009-11-02.
11. Low, Chris (November 4, 2009). "Spikes lengthens his suspension to a full game". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2009-11-05.
12. NFL Draft - 2010 ILB Draft Prospects, CBSSports.com
13. Long, Mark (January 6, 2009). "Florida's defense finds solid ground with Spikes". USA Today. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

External links

• Florida Gators bio

• 1987 births
• Living people
• American football linebackers
• U.S. Army All-American football players
• Florida Gators football players
• People from Shelby, North Carolina
• New England Patriots players