FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- From a media perspective, different topics sometimes stand out as the clear story of the day. Wednesday, it was rookie inside linebacker Brandon Spikes.
It started with Patriots coach Bill Belichick calling him an "interesting player to coach" and explaining how Spikes is sometimes unconventional but still gets the job done.
Then, after the team's lone practice of the day -- a lighter shorts-and-shells session -- Spikes held court with the media.
"Everything is going good, just keeping my nose in the playbook every day, never losing that edge and making sure I'm ready when my number is called," said Spikes, the team's final selection in the second round (62nd overall) of the 2010 draft.
Spikes' number has been called a lot more since Sunday, when 2009 starter Gary Guyton injured his knee. Spikes has been working alongside Jerod Mayo ever since, as Guyton has remained out of practice.
Earlier today, Belichick relayed a conversation he had with Spikes about some things Spikes was doing with an unconventional style. Belichick doesn't want Spikes to change his style, but was apparently just trying to understand it more.
"I think I'm more of an instinctive player, I just see things with my eyes and I trust it," Spikes explained. "I try to attack."
Spikes' instinctive approach ties in to the one black mark on his resume -- a slow 40-yard dash time that dropped his stock in the draft.
"As far as the speed thing, we all know where that is at," he said. "Whatever I see, I read it and go."
Spikes said he has never modeled his game after a specific player, just a specific style of player.
"When I was younger, I tried to mold my play after the guys who played aggressively," he said. "I just want to be one of those aggressive linebackers who plays downhill and makes plays in the backfield."