Auburn stays scorching, lands prime 100 LB Elijah Melendez
The seemingly inevitable has come true.
After loads of hypothesis and two extra journeys to Auburn, Kissimmee (Fla.) Osceola linebacker Elijah Malendez has come off the board with a dedication to the Auburn Tigers.
The four-star did so whereas on The Plains for the third time for the reason that summer season. After backing off of his Miami dedication precisely two weeks in the past, it was obvious AU can be the speedy beneficiary.
“I already know the place I need to go,” Melendez instructed Rivals after the decommitment. It was on the entrance finish of his first sport journey to AU and that sentiment remained with the large, bodily ‘backer by Saturday’s choice.
“I have been by rather a lot with my (knee) damage and recruitment. I’ll as effectively finish it now as an alternative of ready,” he added.
The final time the brand new Tiger dedication was on the town, he frolicked with many present AU pledges as if he was all however considered one of them. It included operating again Alvin Henderson and tight finish Ryan Ghea, two of the extra outspoken peer recruiters on the Hugh Freeze dedication listing.
That class sits inside the prime 5 of the Rivals staff rankings.
Rivals Evaluation
Melendez admitted he thought his ability set was greatest fitted to SEC soccer and after one other reside analysis earlier this season, it is laborious to not agree. The brand new Tiger is each little bit of 225 kilos and he performs with a downhill ferocity fitted to the highest competitors at all times present in that league. It is why the finalists for the dedication got here all the way down to AU, Oklahoma, Georgia and others this time round.
After lacking a lot time in 2023 with the knee concern, Melendez was methodical in his rehab and seems to have come again stronger, along with his typical vary and physicality on show early on this fall. The place he seems to have matured is in cross protection. He had a close to viral interception through which he performed the passing lane and picked off a fastball from Notre Dame dedication Noah Grubbs, and it wasn’t the one play he made in house in opposition to the cross.
Ought to that three-down aspect proceed to progress, mixed with well being and his bodily presents, then there’s little cause to consider Melendez cannot grow to be an early contributor at an SEC program that appears comparatively open to counting on youth at key positions. He’s the fifth prime 100 defender to have dedicated to AU to this point.
