Four-Star LB Elijah Melendez commits to Miami

Four-star linebacker Elijah Melendez (2025) of Kissimmee (FL) Osceola High announced his commitment to Miami Saturday evening.

The 6-foot-2, 225 pounder chose the Hurricanes over Ohio State, Penn State, and Michigan.

“Coach Dnic showed a lot of love and I just wanna bring that savage that the U has. Also, it is really close to home and it’s a dream come true.”

His relationship with the coaching staff and their plan for him played a role in his decision as well.

“The relationship is amazing. Me and Dnic are going all the way to the top together!!! They plan on making me the mike of the defense and really letting me fly around.”

The Sunshine State linebacker joins coach Mario Cristobal and the Hurricanes’ 2025 class. He is accompanied by four-star wide receiver Waden Charles, three-star quarterback Luke Nickel, and others.

Elijah Melendez Recruiting Profile

Melendez ranks as the No. 119 player in the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He also tabs in as the No. 14 linebacker and the No. 17 player in Florida.

He currently does not have an On3 NIL Valuation publicly listed. The On3 NIL Valuation is the industry’s leading index that sets high school and college athletes’ projected annual value (PAV). The NIL valuation does not act as a tracker of the value of NIL deals an athlete has completed to date. It rather signifies an athlete’s value at a certain moment in time.