Elijah Melendez holds the MLB · Starter spot in Auburn Tigers’s linebacker room. Where he sits among the room’s front-line roles:

Elijah Melendez is a 6'0", 240-pound linebacker for Auburn, currently a sophomore. A four-star recruit from Osceola High in Kissimmee, Florida, he appeared in all 12 games as a true freshman in 2025 with one start. Melendez recorded 29 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, and one sack during his debut season. He intercepted two passes, tying for the team lead, and returned one 41 yards for a touchdown against Mercer. Named to the 2025 SEC All-Freshman Team and 2025 recruiting services Midseason True Freshman All-American Team, Melendez also earned 2025-26 First-Year SEC Academic Honor Roll selection.

Auburn2025 — present