What We've Learned: Brandon Spikes

[PatsFans.com Article]

Ian's Daily Blog - In our second edition of "What We've Learned" we’ll look back at what we’ve heard from reports on New England Patriots 2nd round draft pick - linebacker Brandon Spikes.

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[Patspsycho]

Nice.. this is one kid I will definitely have my eyes on when I come to training camp.

 

[VJCPatriot]

I was pretty excited about this pick when the Pats made it. Day 2 gave the Pats a very promising haul. And Spikes might have been the bargain of the lot.

 

[Kontradiction]

He was especially vicious and brutal in college. If his athletic skills and instincts can translate from college to the pro level, he should be exactly what we need next to Mayo.

 

[Schmo]

I also like the idea of giving Guyton a chance at OLB. He has the athletic traits of a pass rusher, and that's where we need help.

 

[DarrylS]

I also like the idea of giving Guyton a chance at OLB. He has the athletic traits of a pass rusher, and that's where we need help.

Correct me if I am wrong, but didn't he have coverage issues??

Without regard, very excited about Spikes and the other unknown McKenzie.. this could be a very deep & talented mlb crew...

 

[stinkypete]

Notable (to me at least), Spikes was given number 55. That's a big time number to be wearing on this team.

 

[patfanken]

Its nice to be all excited, but until they put on the pads and actually start to hit each other full speed, they for all we know he could be another Chad Jackson, who also was a star of the underwear Olympics known as the off season OTAs

 

[BestQB]

I also like the idea of giving Guyton a chance at OLB. He has the athletic traits of a pass rusher, and that's where we need help.

You obviously did not watch the Seattle game when he went in at OLB. It was a disaster. He was taken out as quickly as Brace was taken out of the Buffalo game.

 

[Hudson Pats Fan]

Correct me if I am wrong, but didn't he have coverage issues??

Without regard, very excited about Spikes and the other unknown McKenzie.. this could be a very deep & talented mlb crew...

You mean Guyton with coverage issues? I think he's pretty solid in coverage (can lock down the likes of Leon Washington), but putting him on the outside is dangerous on early downs because so far he hasn't been able to hold the edge (see Seattle game a few years ago). I think putting Guyton out there at OLB on passing downs would be a worthy experiment with his speed and agility.

Oh and Spikes in coverage isn't too shabby...he may not be the fastest one out there, but he has really fast reaction times and instincts which allow him to get into the right place at the right time. He had a few pick 6s in college and good coverage.

 

[RobertWeathers]

We've been through this before. GG is marginal vs the run. Marginal in coverage, sub-standard rushing the passer, but quick and speedy in pursuit. He physically doesn't have the tools to play OLB and ILB in this defense.

Hes a backup who because of a dearth in talent at the LB spot, played way more than he should have. I'd contend that the reason he played so much was that he busts his butt every play and knows the defense.

 

[BlueThunder]

The Pats "old" and slow LB corps is being transformed into the youth movement before our eyes. A healthy Mayo next to Spikes is going to be fun to watch this season. Next year they should be even better. McKenzie is an unknown but people liked what they saw before he got injured.

Winning the AFCE last season with 6 or 7 rookies on roster and competing this season with McCourty, Gronkowski,Hernandez, Spikes, Price,Cunningham, Mesko on roster makes the Patriots younger. Next year they draft/sign replacements for Morris, Taylor and maybe Faulk altho I hate to say it but BB doesn't place a high value on the running game with Brady at QB. I think it's a necessary evil to him

 

[Kontradiction]

Correct me if I am wrong, but didn't he have coverage issues??

Without regard, very excited about Spikes and the other unknown McKenzie.. this could be a very deep & talented mlb crew...

Guyton is one of the better coverage linebackers on this team.

 

[Sicilian]

That's all well and good, but how fluid are his hips?

 

[RobertWeathers]

Guyton is one of the better coverage linebackers on this team.

Thats not saying much, Kontra. With more experience vs NFL passing defenses, I am hopeful that they improve but there were too may times last year that Mayo & Guyton seemed to leave large spaces between them and the secondary (the BM boys also deserve some of the blame as well)...

 

[signbabybrady]

We've been through this before. GG is marginal vs the run. Marginal in coverage, sub-standard rushing the passer, but quick and speedy in pursuit. He physically doesn't have the tools to play OLB and ILB in this defense.

Hes a backup who because of a dearth in talent at the LB spot, played way more than he should have. I'd contend that the reason he played so much was that he busts his butt every play and knows the defense.

This actually isnt to bad of an assesment of him maybe a little harsh. I think he has been marginal in coverage but I would think his speed should allow him to improve there. He has been sub-standard rushing the passer from the interior he hasn't had much chance rushing the edge where his speed could come in handy though he is a liability on the edge vs the run. Marginal VS the run is accurate.

I think he some special tools as a player just not special tools that fit our system great. This to me says that if we could get him out of the starting rotation we could have one heck of a role player and his roles could call for PT than the starters too.

 

[RobertWeathers]

This actually isnt to bad of an assesment of him maybe a little harsh. I think he has been marginal in coverage but I would think his speed should allow him to improve there. He has been sub-standard rushing the passer from the interior he hasn't had much chance rushing the edge where his speed could come in handy though he is a liability on the edge vs the run. Marginal VS the run is accurate.

I think he some special tools as a player just not special tools that fit our system great. This to me says that if we could get him out of the starting rotation we could have one heck of a role player and his roles could call for PT than the starters too.

I do like Guyton. I don't think hes a starter.

According to PFF, in 106 pass rushes last year, GG had 1 sack, 7 QB hits and 8 hurries. I would venture to say that many of those came on the blitz. GG is not a hand on the ground pass rusher but may have value with his burst to bring some pressure up the middle. He has shown that ability in a few games (Buffalo and a few others IIRC).

You would think with his speed and quickness, he'd be better in coverage but he's not. Again, excellent in spurts (Leon Washington in 2008) but statistically, hes not good.

Again, on both points mor eplaying time may be what helps him improve.

 

[signbabybrady]

I do like Guyton. I don't think hes a starter.

According to PFF, in 106 pass rushes last year, GG had 1 sack, 7 QB hits and 8 hurries. I would venture to say that many of those came on the blitz. GG is not a hand on the ground pass rusher but may have value with his burst to bring some pressure up the middle. He has shown that ability in a few games (Buffalo and a few others IIRC).

You would think with his speed and quickness, he'd be better in coverage but he's not. Again, excellent in spurts (Leon Washington in 2008) but statistically, hes not good.

Again, on both points mor eplaying time may be what helps him improve.

I like him alot too and I think his speed can bring something we typically haven't had out of the LB position (Mayo brings this too) but his physical makeup means he is limited in this system. So as I said he should be one hell of a role player as he continues to develope and as McKenzie and Spikes develope that should allow him not to be forced to do things he isn't great at.

 

[sbpatfan]

McKenzie and Spikes have zero NFL snaps between the two of them which means one thing - it's Guyton's job to lose. It'll be his third year in the system as a young player that's received a considerably large amount of playing time for an undrafted rookie. Guyton has been thrown into literally the perfect situation to succeed and make a name for himself. If he can't step up within the first few games and show some signs of vast improvement, you go to a rotation. Until then, keep him out there with Mayo as much as possible. Unless of course MK and Spikes are LB gods that just haven't had the opportunity to play yet, but I doubt that at this moment. Hopefully in the near future though.

 

[AzPatsFan]

I also like the idea of giving Guyton a chance at OLB. He has the athletic traits of a pass rusher, and that's where we need help.

On the relatively rare occasions that Guyton managed to play instead of high draftee and starting Colt LB Phil Wheeler in college, he looked like a fine MLB,unfortunately stuck behind a better player. Sort of a Matt Cassel stuck behind two Heisman Trophy winners at USC QB.

His college coaches tried to move him to OLB, too. He was so good as an OLB, that he went undrafted!!