Is Brandon Spikes as good as McLain

[BritPat]

Is Spikes as good as McClain?

No.

Would I draft him?

If he was value, yes.

Would I prefer we went with linemen/offensive playmakers in the first two rounds and picked Micah Johnson later on?

Hell yeah.

 

[tanked_as_usual]

You're right, he hits hard, that's not good. We need more Monty Beisel types, they tend to last forever as they avoid contact.

just because you hit hard, it makes you a good LB? tell that to andy katzenmoyer

simply put, spikes is not as good as mcclain

 

[JoeShmoe]

Is Spikes as good as McClain?

No.

Would I draft him?

If he was value, yes.

Would I prefer we went with linemen/offensive playmakers in the first two rounds and picked Micah Johnson later on?

Hell yeah.

What he said. Times two

 

[CGH TX PATS]

Spikes is a leader, we need leadership on this team. #22 isn't realistic for McClain to fall to. Spikes is the pick.

 

[WelshPat]

Spikes is really slow and his stock will fall at the combine

And also, can we just get some good players, not bang on about value? Because 'Value' hasn't been so good in the draft the last few years

 

[SanAngeloState]

Spikes is really slow and his stock will fall at the combine

And also, can we just get some good players, not bang on about value? Because 'Value' hasn't been so good in the draft the last few years

Why do you think he is slow? Supposedly he played much of the year with a bad hamstring.

Anyway, Yes, I'm totally in favor of getting quality LB types especially SILB. Unfortunately, it seems easier said than done.

 

[SanAngeloState]

just because you hit hard, it makes you a good LB? tell that to andy katzenmoyer

simply put, spikes is not as good as mcclain

No, not just because he hits hard.

OK, we'll just get the UDFA types and hope one of them sticks. Or stick Guyton at SILB, that worked really well. Guyton is good, except he doesn't like to tackle or take on guards. Other than that great linebacker.

 

[BritPat]

No, not just because he hits hard.

OK, we'll just get the UDFA types and hope one of them sticks. Or stick Guyton at SILB, that worked really well. Guyton is good, except he doesn't like to tackle or take on guards. Other than that great linebacker.

So it's either Spikes or bust?

Child, please.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

It depends on what you asking them to do. If you are asking them to play ILB in our defense, then we need to do a side by side comparison.

Run defense: Positives: Both grade out very well as run defenders. Negatives: Spikes struggles in taking correct pursuit angles and occasionally overruns plays. McClain tackles high. Big difference: McClain is clearly superior in stackiing and shedding blockers. This is paramount to success in the 3-4.

Pass Defense: Positives: Both are average to above average in coverage and both appear comfortable playing in space. Negatives: Not sure how either would do covering the NFL's elite TE's, need to see how they run at the combine. Big difference: Big plays and attitdues. McClain thinks every ball that is in the air belongs to him and he makes a ton of big plays in coverage. He gets the defense off the field on third down when the ball is thrown near him.

Communication: Positives: Spikes and McClain both get the defense lined up, make the calls and make adjustments. Negatives: Impossible to tell because I am not on the field with them. Big Difference: McClain has experience in making calls and getting players lined up IN OUR DEFENSE. He has done it for the past three years in our defense. He knows our calls and our terminology and excels in getting it done properly and correctly.

Blitzing: Both appear equal in this although McClain has the advantage of having big Mt. Cody in front of him occupying three to eight guiys at any one time.

In summary: McClain's size, strength, speed, character and experience in our defense makes for immediate success and instant day 1 starter for us. Nearly no porjecting necessary. Spikes on the other hand is also an above average LB, but has only experience in the 4-3 or 3-3-5. Much more projecting is necessary for Spikes.

 

[strongside]

Maybe we should just draft a 2 down Jasper Brinkley type later, and call it a day.

We haven't had a pure run stopping LB since TJ. I know everyone wants that 3 down great in coverage, godd rush, stout LB but they are reallly few and far between. This team has missed out on players like Brinkley that go late because they are limited.

That being said I would love to see spikes get to us at one of the 2nd rd picks. He would solve a lot of problems in our ILB rotation. You trot out Mayo, spikes, Guyton, Mckenzie and your starting to build a good young versitile LB core.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

He would solve a lot of problems in our ILB rotation. You trot out Mayo, spikes, Guyton, Mckenzie and your starting to build a good young versitile LB core.

If I was an opposing offensive coordinator facing a 3-4 defense with this collection of ILB's I would pound the ball inside all day and take my 4-6 yards per carry up and down the field.

This is a miserable combination of average players. Not one true "stack and shed" guy or anything resembling a big play maker among the group.

 

[VJCPatriot]

I don't know anybody who would play 4 inside linebackers at once. Neither would I call Mayo a 'miserable' player. And there is the fact that Big Vince is playing in front of these guys too, unless you forgot.

Defensively theres really only a few needs, SILB, passrushing OLB, and defensive end. We've already talked about the lack of quality 3-4 DE's in this year's draft so I suspect we will target SILB/OLB early. But you never know with BB, he might be satisfied with Mayo/Guyton and TBC/Burgess. His drafting execution always seems to be mysterious even if we've come to identify some of the attributes he's looking for in his players.

 

[tanked_as_usual]

No, not just because he hits hard.

OK, we'll just get the UDFA types and hope one of them sticks. Or stick Guyton at SILB, that worked really well. Guyton is good, except he doesn't like to tackle or take on guards. Other than that great linebacker.

no....the original question was whether mcclain is better than spikes......and yes, he is

 

[Kontradiction]

I've likely watched more of Spikes than any of you put together and I have to say absolutely not. The highlight of his college career was a hit on Knowshon Moreno two years ago. Before that, Meyer had to constantly get on him about his work ethic and said he had some leadership concerns. He looked good in 2008. Then, in 2009, he reverted back to his 2007 self. No thanks. Give me Rolando over him any day of the week.

 

[SanAngeloState]

no....the original question was whether mcclain is better than spikes......and yes, he is

No? you said or implied that "hitting hard" is stupid as it just wears a player out as a way of dismissing my question out of hand. I replied that that isn't the only thing about him that makes him a good player. It's stupid of you to think that that was his only positive attribute.

Anyway, most scouting services say he's pretty darn good. He did play much of the year injured.

If you're saying, and others are saying, that there is no person stout enough, good enough, etc. to man NE's SILB position in the whole country (other than McClain and possibly Dansby), then I think we need a new system. A system with a little more personnel flexibility.

 

[CGH TX PATS]

Have we given any thought to the fact that we might not be playing a 3-4 next season? If this is the case, which is more important a true DE or OLB? This just came to me while reading these posts and remembering all of the fronts we were in this year...

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Have we given any thought to the fact that we might not be playing a 3-4 next season? If this is the case, which is more important a true DE or OLB? This just came to me while reading these posts and remembering all of the fronts we were in this year...

The team went back to the base 3-4 more when they started simplifying things, now we have ol' 3-4 Bill himself doing more hands on grooming of his defense and defensive staff - I'm expecting about the same number of 3-4 and 4-3 looks for 2010.

 

[Gator Mike]

I've likely watched more of Spikes than any of you put together

I seriously doubt this.

The highlight of his college career was a hit on Knowshon Moreno two years ago.

I thought it was the two INT game against LSU, but that's just me. What's your point?

Before that, Meyer had to constantly get on him about his work ethic and said he had some leadership concerns.

Agreed. But by all accounts, Spikes and Tebow have been UF's hardest workers and unquestioned leaders the past two seasons.

He looked good in 2008. Then, in 2009, he reverted back to his 2007 self.

You mean the 2007 version that had 131 tackles and was First Team All-SEC?

I'll say it again... he played hurt nearly all season. I think I said earlier it was his hamstring. It was actually his groin. So, if he wasn't as productive as he's been in the past, I think that probably had a lot to do with it.

IMO, as a long-time UF fan, I think Spikes the best of what's been a pretty decent run of middle linebackers to come through UF in the past 10 years - Andra Davis, Channing Crowder, Brandon Siler, and now Spikes.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Former Florida Gators LB quietly prepares for NFL draft - OrlandoSentinel.com

 

[BillBelichickFan79]

We haven't had a pure run stopping LB since TJ. I know everyone wants that 3 down great in coverage, godd rush, stout LB but they are reallly few and far between. This team has missed out on players like Brinkley that go late because they are limited.

That being said I would love to see spikes get to us at one of the 2nd rd picks. He would solve a lot of problems in our ILB rotation. You trot out Mayo, spikes, Guyton, Mckenzie and your starting to build a good young versitile LB core.

I don't get all the Ted Johnson love. If we had him now we'd be talking about how he's too slow in the modern NFL to make an impact and we need more speed at ILB b/c it's a pass happy league etc etc.

Are you seriously *****ing about us not getting Brinkley? The guy is as stiff as a "wedding ****" to quote Patriot Reign hahahha. He was consistently out of position, looked slow, and hurt the Vikings on defense after Henderson went down and he took over full time. He over-pursued and bit on fakes too easily.

I think Adalius actually would've made a great SILB that could've probably played all 3 downs. Strength to stack and shed at 6'2 270, pretty good speed, and pretty good in coverage for 3rd downs.