Mitchell Melton (American football)
| No. 54 – Indianapolis Colts | |
|---|---|
| Position | Defensive end |
| Roster status | Practice squad |
| Personal information | |
| Born | March 17, 2002[1] Silver Spring, Maryland, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Listed weight | 253 lb (115 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Our Lady of Good Counsel |
| College |
|
| NFL draft | 2026: undrafted |
| Career history | |
| |
* Offseason or practice squad member only | |
| Awards and highlights | |
| Stats at Pro Football Reference | |
Mitchell Melton (born March 17, 2002)[1] is an American professional football defensive end for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes and for the Virginia Cavaliers.
Early life
[edit]Melton attended Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in Olney, Maryland. He was rated as a three-star recruit by 247Sports, committed to play college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes over offers from other schools such as Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Ole Miss, Pittsburgh, Purdue, Texas A&M, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Wisconsin.[2]
College career
[edit]Ohio State
[edit]In his first three seasons from 2020 to 2022, Melton redshirted and only appear in one game due to multiple season-ending injuries.[3][4] In 2023, he recorded three tackles with all three being for a loss and a sack in eight game.[5][6] In 2024, Melton helped the Buckeyes win a National Championship, after recording 12 tackles and two sacks. After the conclusion of the season, he entered the NCAA transfer portal.[7]
Virginia
[edit]Melton transferred to play for the Virginia Cavaliers.[8] In 2025, he notched 45 tackles with ten going for a loss, five sacks, an interception, and three forced fumbles. After the season, Melton declared for the NFL draft.[9][10]
Professional career
[edit]| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | Wingspan | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 253 lb (115 kg) | 33+1⁄8 in (0.84 m) | 9+3⁄8 in (0.24 m) | 6 ft 6+1⁄2 in (1.99 m) | 4.63 s | 1.69 s | 2.69 s | 4.44 s | 7.03 s | 30.5 in (0.77 m) | 9 ft 11 in (3.02 m) | 22 reps |
| All values from Pro Day[11] | ||||||||||||
After not being selected in the 2026 NFL draft, Melton signed with the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent.[12][13] On August 30, he was waived as part of final roster cuts and re-signed to the practice squad the next day.[14][15]
References
[edit]- 1 2 "Mitchell Melton". Ourlads. Retrieved May 21, 2026.
- ↑ Bielik, Tim (December 16, 2019). "Mitchell Melton National Signing Day 2020 player profile: Ohio State football recruiting". Cleveland.com. Retrieved May 9, 2026.
- ↑ Kaufman, Joey (April 5, 2021). "Ohio State LB Mitchell Melton out for spring practice with 'long-term injury'". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved May 9, 2026.
- ↑ Kaufman, Joey (May 6, 2022). "Ohio State football's Mitchell Melton expected to miss season with ACL injury". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved May 9, 2026.
- ↑ Schmidt, Lori (October 5, 2023). "OSU linebacker Mitchell Melton breaks down film with the same excitement as game film". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved May 9, 2026.
- ↑ Kaufman, Joey (August 18, 2023). "Could Mitchell Melton be the answer to Ohio State football's search for a 'jack?'". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved May 9, 2026.
- ↑ Gillis, Andrew. "An Ohio State defensive end is expected to enter the transfer portal". Cleveland.com. Retrieved May 9, 2026.
- ↑ Madia, Greg. "Ohio State transfer Mitchell Melton takes on leadership role with Virginia football". The Daily Progress. Retrieved May 9, 2026.
- ↑ Madia, Greg. "'It was everything': DE Mitchell Melton's year at UVa helped him revitalize his NFL hopes". The Daily Progress. Retrieved May 9, 2026.
- ↑ Madia, Greg. "Virginia football DE Mitchell Melton declares for NFL Draft". The Daily Progress. Retrieved May 9, 2026.
- ↑ "Mitchell Melton College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved July 5, 2026.
- ↑ Caudell, Jackson (April 26, 2026). "Virginia Edge Mitchell Melton Signs an Undrafted Free Agent Deal With the Indianapolis Colts". Virginia Cavaliers On SI. Retrieved May 9, 2026.
- ↑ "Colts sign six draft picks, 12 undrafted free agents". Colts.com. May 7, 2026.
- ↑ Stankevitz, JJ. "Colts make roster moves to form initial 53-man roster". Colts.com. Retrieved September 2, 2026.
- ↑ "Colts sign 15 players to practice squad". Colts.com. Retrieved September 2, 2026.