Miami Loses Verbal Commitment

The 2025 Miami recruiting class is down one prospect.

Linebacker Elijah Melendez is no longer a part of Mario Cristobal's recruiting class, according to the following report on X:

His recruitment should not be considered done by any means. Even as a long-time UM commitment, Melendez took several visits before today's announcement. Besides, it's not like Cristobal and his staff give up easily.

Coming from Kissimmee (Fla.) Osceola, Melendez is an inside linebacker with the frame, speed, and hitting power to excel at the Power 4 level. The Miami coaching staff knows this. Look for the Canes to likely keep after Melendez until National Signing Day on Dec. 4.

As a recruit, Melendez is a 4-star recruit by On3, Rivals, and ESPN. Unfortunately, he's an often-injured prospect who could see his recruiting ranking rise with a good senior campaign. Still, the upside for this young man is tremendous and that's why On3 mentions "A total of 40 offers" within the post above.

Let's see how Melendez's recruitment plays out. There's still a lot of time left before National Signing Day.