Elijah Melendez staying at Auburn, won’t enter transfer portal

Freshman linebacker Elijah Melendez will return to Auburn and is not expected to enter the transfer portal. He announced his intentions via social media.

Melendez gives the Tigers an important piece back in the middle of their defense heading into 2026.

Melendez emerged quickly in his first season on campus, finishing with 29 tackles, three tackles for loss, two interceptions and one pick-six. He also earned SEC All-Freshman honors after becoming one of Auburn’s more reliable young defenders as the year went on.

“To play in this conference as a freshman is not an easy thing, and that probably goes without saying. But then to play as a freshman at middle linebacker is pretty incredible,” DJ Durkin said of Elijah Melendez after the South Alabama game.

“He’s wearing the green dot, and I’m talking to him on the field, so he’s communicating that to the rest of the defense. And for him to play at the level he’s played at really all year long, he’s done a great job for us, been consistent. Then he goes and makes a big play like that is just awesome to see the look on his face.”

With roster movement ramping up across the sport, keeping Melendez in the fold is a significant retention win for Auburn as it continues to build depth and playmaking at linebacker.

“Auburn has a real deal college town and is an SEC program,” Melendez told On3 when he originally committed. “They are on the come up. The defensive coordinator is all about energy, passion and playing hard. It’s where I fit in.”

Melendez will enter 2026 in great position to start alongside returning All-American Xavier Atkins.