BOSTON (CBS) – The New England Patriots welcomed back Brandon Spikes on Monday after the linebacker spent a year in football purgatory Buffalo playing for the Bills.

The former 2010 second round draft pick (62nd overall) was reportedly brought in on a one-year deal, and given his familiarity with the coaching staff and scheme, Spikes should have an immediate impact on the linebacking corps while Jerod Mayo (patellar tendon) and Dont’a Hightower (labrum) recover from surgery.

Spikes, while often considered a liability in pass coverage, earned a reputation as a playmaker both in college and during his first go-around with the Patriots. Spikes brings a certain level of much-needed nastiness to a defense, and his big hits on opposing players helped earn him the nickname “The Sandman” (which may or may not have been given to him by the Sports Hub’s Scott Zolak) for his ability to put people to sleep.

And while it wasn’t an amicable ending to the Spikes era after the 2013 season, the former Florida Gator is back in Foxboro to strike fear into opposing running backs and quarterbacks.

I’ve gone through the lengthy effort (Googling) of compiling some of Brandon Spikes’ biggest hits, so here are the five I’ve chosen as the best:

5. Decapitation



Ryan Fitzpatrick may have went to Harvard, but trash-talking Brandon Spikes is never a bright idea.

4. Oldie But A Goodie



This gem comes from Spikes’ college days at Florida, where he set the tone early on in a game against rival Georgia and future NFLer Knowshon Moreno.

3. Least Mode



Very few people can tackle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch one-on-one. In this 2012 game, Spikes shoots the gap and denied Lynch of a 3rd-and-1 conversion by making the play in the backfield.

2. Makes Greene Fade Into Black

Get it? “Fade To Black”? Metallica reference? Sandman? Nevermind. This is a big hit. That’s all I got.

1. Thou Shall Not Pass

Former Giants (and at one point, Patriots) tight end Jake Ballard found out the hard way that it is no fun going over the middle with Brandon Spikes roaming around.

Spikes couldn’t be reached for comment, but we imagine he’s feeling kind of like this playing for a Super Bowl contender once again:

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