With the NFL Draft slated for April 25-26, this is the 18th of daily looks at a player who could be on the New England Patriots’ radar. All profiles can also be found at projo.com/patriots.

Player: Jasper Brinkley, South Carolina

Height and Weight: 6-foot-2, 252 pounds

Position: Inside linebacker

Hometown: Thomson, Ga. (Thomson HS)

Senior year: 65 tackles (42 solo), 2 ½ sacks, 5 tackles for loss, interception, 2 forced fumbles

Career: 193 tackles (142 solo), 7 ½ sacks, 3 interceptions

Honors: First-team All-SEC (2006)

NFL Combine

4.67 seconds (40-yard dash)

26 reps (bench press)

35 ½ inches (vertical)

9-foot-6 (broad jump)

Is he a fit for the Patriots?

If he’s fully recovered from the 2007 torn ACL injury he suffered, Brinkley could be a prospect at inside linebacker. After transferring from Georgia Military College in 2006, Brinkley made an immediate impact for the Gamecocks, with 107 tackles and 14 ½ tackles for losses. But his injury came four games into the ’07 season, and his fluidity and straight-line speed were limited last year after he returned.

Scouts believe Brinkley at full strength has an above-average blend of size and power; he is a solid open-field tackler who can wreak havoc. New England found a gem in Jerod Mayo last year, and Gary Guyton was a surprise as well. Brinkley would be another young player to add to the mix at inside backer.

Negatives with Brinkley include his foot speed in coverage and the fact that he can rely too much on physical skills rather than technique and instincts. He is projected as a third- to fourth-round pick, but in the right hands, it seems as though he could develop into a solid player.

smanza@projo.com