Mitchell Melton

Mitchell Melton, who has an older sister (Sydney), grew up in Silver Spring, Md., with his parents (Jeff and Jennifer Melton). He started playing football at age 5, and it was love at first sight. He attended Our Lady of Good Counsel High School, a private Catholic school in Olney, Md. He was the 2019 defensive player of the year as a linebacker (97 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles and one interception). A four-star recruit, he committed to Ohio State over Michigan and Notre Dame. His career in Columbus was sidetracked, as he missed both the 2021 and 2022 seasons because of torn ACLs (one in each knee). He returned in 2023 and was a key reserve during the Buckeyes’ run to the 2024 national championship. Looking for more consistent playing time, he transferred to Virginia in 2025 and earned All-ACC honors, with a team-best 10 tackles for loss. A former off-ball linebacker, Melton has a lean, long frame, with good speed rushing off the edge. His lack of experience shows in his underdeveloped hands, but he runs the arc with flexibility in his ankles to dip and capture the corner. His play strength is only average when attempting to punch his way off blocks or drive blockers from their spot. He also left some production in the backfield and needs to do a better job coming to balance on the move to avoid misses. Overall, Melton revived his NFL prospects with a healthy and consistent season at Virginia, although he still needs more development time before he is ready to face off versus NFL competition. 386 Back to table of contents -- 390 of 629 --