Spikes vs. Hightower on NFL radar – New England Patriots Blog – ESPN Boston

Here’s the big question, and why I stupidly left Hightower off my Big Board. I’d probably throw Ninkovich in to this competition mix as I think Hightower could be an intriguing SLB option in either a 3-4 or 4-3.

But again, I don’t think base defense fit is really a big deal. It’s about sub-defense now and in a 4-2-5 or 3-3-5 there are a number of spots that Hightower could potentially fit that Spikes doesn’t necessarily fit. However Spikes was coming off the field less and less in sub-defense, and his improvement in that area was demonstrated by his interception in the AFCCG. He might be a little slow, but Spikes has great instincts and has repeatedly shown it, not only in college, but now in the pros as well.