Takeo Spikes is one of the most disruptive defensive players to ever come out of a Georgia high school. He was the AJC and GSWA All-Classification Player of the Year in 1994, credited with 191 tackles, 33 tackles for losses, 21 sacks, two blocked punts and three interceptions. On the offensive side of the ball, he caught 40 passes for 751 yards and 22 touchdowns along with 31 pancake blocks as a tight end. He led Washington County to a 15-0 season and Class 2A championship, and was named a USA Today All-American. In 2007, he was ranked the No. 7 Georgia high school football player of all time by the AJC. Spikes continued his football career at Auburn University, and led the Tigers’ defense in 1997 with 96 solo tackles and 142 total tackles while grabbing three interceptions. He was drafted as the No. 13 overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft by Cincinnati, and became the first rookie to lead the Bengals in tackles (112) since 1990. Spikes played 15 NFL seasons with five teams, earning two Pro Bowl nods and a first-team All-Pro selection in 2004. He started in 215 of 219 games played during his professional career and is one of just seven linebackers to start 200 games in the NFL.
