2025 Top-100 LB Elijah Melendez names USC in top-10
Another class of 2025 prospect has included the USC Trojans in a top group. This time it was Kissimmee (Fla.) Osceola four-star linebacker Elijah Melendez, releasing a top-10.
The full list was USC, Colorado, Georgia, Miami, Georgia Tech, Ohio State, LSU, Alabama, Michigan, and Kentucky.
Melendez is the No. 150 overall prospect and No. 17 linebacker in the 2025 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He is also the No. 23 player in Florida.
On3 however is much higher on Melendez, tabbing him as the No. 49 overall prospect and No. 9 linebacker in the 2025 cycle.
Melendez is an impressive athlete, reporting a 4.5-second 40-yard dash at 220 pounds. His speed is evident on film and he plays with a natural aggression and style that allows him to make plays across the field.
On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine
The 6-foot-2, 220-pounder holds 35 offers. According to the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine, Florida currently has the early lead to land a commitment from Melendez at 31.0%. Several Florida based and east coast schools are also high up in the odds.
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Melendez has not yet visited USC, but he has been to some of his other top schools. He has taken one visit to Miami, Kentucky, Georgia Tech, and Ohio State. He has taken three visits to Florida at this time of his recruitment.
RPM was released to the public in December 2021. The On3 engineering group teamed up with Spiny.ai to create the industry’s first algorithm and machine learning-based product to predict where athletes will attend college.
It factors in machine learning, social sentiment, visits and historical trends. However, expert predictions are still a big piece of the RPM equation.
On3 Scouting
“Melendez is someone that can hop off the bus and step in between the hashes right now for a college program. He’s nearly 6-foot-2, 225 pounds and can get sideline to sideline with ease. He’s an explosive player on contact and isn’t afraid of physicality. In space, you see a bit of hip stiffness that limits him in the open field, but he’s more than functional in the passing game. Need to see more from him in space and in coverage, but he’s a menace as a run stopper that can fill an immediate role for almost any program in college football the second he shows up on campus.”
