Auburn Picks Up 4-Star LB Commitment

Auburn has earned another commitment for its 2025 recruiting class

Before the team even played a down of football on Saturday, the Tigers were already scoring. / Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK

Four-star linebacker Elijah Melendez, a 6-foot-2, 225-pound athlete from Osceola, Fla., is the latest prospect to commit to Auburn. Melendez was previously committed to Miami. Auburn isn't scheduled to kick off against New Mexico for a few more hours, and they're already scoring.

BREAKING: Four-Star LB Elijah Melendez has Committed to Auburn, he tells me for @on3recruits

The 6’2 230 LB from Kissimmee, FL was previously Committed to Miami

“War Eagle, it’s to the Moon✨💯”https://t.co/6tPmuljS9t pic.twitter.com/wZgAieIPfL

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) September 14, 2024

Following his decommitment from Miami on Aug. 31, he quickly trended toward Auburn. 

247Sports’ Christian Clemente and Tom Loy each put in a crystal ball prediction for Melendez to commit to Auburn with a level of confidence at six on the day of Auburn’s season opener against Alabama A&M.

Other expert predictions logged for Melendez to select Auburn came from Steve Wiltfong of On3 and Caleb Jones of Rivals.

According to Rivals, Melendez is the No. 92 player in the country. He’s the No. 22 player at his position and the No. 4 player from Florida in his recruiting class. 

Aside from Auburn and Miami, Melendez holds offers from programs such as Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Texas A&M.

Melendez attends Osceola High School in Kissimmee, Florida, located 3.5 hours north of Miami where he was previously committed. The drive from Kissimmee to Auburn is just short of seven hours. Auburn pulling off this flip puts its ability to compete with more local programs for top recruits on display.

Melendez’s commitment bumps Auburn’s 2025 recruiting class up to No. 4 in the country on Rivals. 

The Auburn Tigers’ 2025 recruiting class now has 24 members, including 17 blue chip recruits. They continue to pile on the defensive talent. If Hugh Freeze and company can hang on to these commits, this defense could be putting the rest of the SEC on notice.