It was a week of high expectations for the Auburn football program. The spotlight was on the quarterbacks throughout the week until head coach Hugh Freeze revealed that redshirt freshman Hank Brown would start over Payton Thorne against the New Mexico Lobos.
After a tough loss to Cal on their home field, the Tigers were eager to move past that game with a new starting quarterback, and fans were excited to see Brown make his debut in orange and blue.
But the excitement didn’t end there. Earlier that day, another 4-star linebacker announced his commitment to the Tigers. Hailing from Kissimmee, Florida, he is ranked as the #17 linebacker in the 2025 recruiting class and the #23 recruit in Florida.
Melendez had initially committed to the Miami Hurricanes in December 2023, but Auburn continued to pursue him throughout the year. This effort paid off with Melendez decommitting in late August and pledging to Auburn and Coach Freeze on Saturday. He visited Auburn this weekend and made his commitment announcement before the game against New Mexico.
A key factor in Melendez’s decision was the strong relationship he developed with Auburn defensive coordinator DJ Durkin.
“It really feels like family here, and I wanted to play in the SEC,” Melendez said, according to Auburn Rivals. “I believe I have a great opportunity to develop and make it to the NFL with Auburn and Coach Durkin.”
Despite the defensive struggles, Melendez was impressed by Hank Brown’s performance and the team’s victory at Jordan-Hare Stadium. When asked if he plans to explore other schools, Melendez confirmed that his recruitment is officially closed.
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