Linebacker Brandon Spikes is a professional football player with the New England Patriots in the National Football League. After playing college football with the Florida Gators football team in the NCAA, Spikes was selected by the Patriots 62nd overall in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft. Spikes made his professional debut that same year.http://www.patriots.com/team/index.cfm?ac=playerbio&bio=34183

During the 2010 season, Spikes played in 12 games and recorded 61 total tackles, three pass deflections and one interception which he returned five yards.http://www.nfl.com/players/profile?id=SPI225805 On Friday, December 10, 2010, the Patriots announced that Spikes received a four-game suspension, which would keep him off the field for the remainder of the 2010 regular season. The reason for the suspension was a violation of the league's substance-abuse policy. Spikes reportedly tested positive for a medication used to treat attention deficit disorder, which contained amphetamines. He later apologized for what he called a "mistake" and stated that he "should have gotten clarification" on the medication before taking it.http://sports.espn.go.com/boston/nfl/news/story?id=5906897

While playing at the University of Florida, Spikes started in 39 of the 47 games he played. Spikes left the school with career totals of 307 tackles, 31.5 tackles for a loss, 14 pass deflections, 6.5 sacks, six interceptions, four interception returns for a touchdown, two fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles.http://www.patriots.com/team/index.cfm?ac=playerbio&bio=34183

During his time at Florida, Spikes earned two All-American selections and three All-Southeastern Conference selections. He was also a member of two BCS Championship teams, in 2007 and 2009, as well as named a finalist for several individual awards.http://www.patriots.com/team/index.cfm?ac=playerbio&bio=34183