#9

Elijah Melendez

LB · Auburn · Fr. · #9

Returning to Auburn for 2026
This season's coverage starts August 26 — check back once kickoff hits.

Elijah Melendez

LB · Auburn · Fr · #9

Limited signal — not enough coverage for a story yet.

Career Arc

HS
Recruit
★★★★
#176 national
CFB
College
Auburn
2025
NFL
NFL Draft
Not drafted (yet)

2025 snapshot

Season context · Team result + system

2025Auburn5-7HC: Hugh Freeze · Run-leaning

Career stats

SeasonTeam
2025Auburn30193.01.0--2--
Career30193.01.0--2--

Signature game

SIGNATURE GAME · Week 13 · 2025

W 62–17

vs Mercer

3 TOT  ·  2 SOLO  ·  1 TD

Dominant 45-point win at home against Mercer.

How he plays

Play style

Ranges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles.

CFB Index positional classification

2026 Outlook

Auburn

2026 Depth chart

Projected starter

Linebacker · Auburn

Returning around him

  • 22% of 2024 offensive production back (Heavy turnover)
  • 5 Auburn players drafted to NFL
  • Transfer portal: -1 net (38 in / 39 out)

2026 Award watch

No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)

Auburn · Last season: 5-7 (AP #22) · Talent rank #13 · 2026 recruiting class #31

DNA match

Player DNA

Sideline-to-Sideline

Ranges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles.

LB

His 2025 production profile sits closest to Aiden Hall’s 2023 season.

Aiden Hall

84%match

Wake Forest · 2023

#2

Cannon Blauser

Ohio · 2022

74%
#3

Mihalis Santorineos

New Mexico · 2023

73%
#4

Tytus Khajavi

Fresno State · 2025

72%
#5

Montay Weedon

Cincinnati · 2025

72%

Matches Aiden on

Sack rate
Tackle volume
TFL rate

Differs from Aiden on

Hurry rate (lower)

Not enough data yet for this comparison.

As a freshman, his production profile tracks closest to Tytus Khajavi's freshman season at Fresno State (2025).

Fresno State · 2025

#2

Makhi Nelson-Douglas

Northern Illinois · 2021

78%
#3

Eric Winters

Auburn · 2025

76%
#4

Ashton Williams

Tulsa · 2024

71%
#5

Aiden Hall

Wake Forest · 2023

71%

Matches Tytus on

Weight
TFL rate
Tackle volume

Heisman trajectory

Heisman Trajectory · 2025

Peak #6240

Final rank
#6810
Avg #6688.3
Finalist prob 0%

Peaked at #6240 this season.