All in the Family

Rising senior Nick Melka's younger brother, 6-4 238 lbs. Charles Melka from Benet Academy outside Chicago has committed to Columbia and will play on the defensive line like his brother.

Charles has been on my radar since last July when I first portrayed him on this blog.

He would be the third documented Benet grad to play for the program and in a fun fact, all three Benet alums would be playing together as the other grad is rising junior WR Connor Nelligan.

The younger Melka was a well sought-after recruit who had a real leadership role in Benet's solid program.

You can see his senior year highlights by clicking here.


You can see his junior year highlights here:

There's a lot of hope for the Melka clan in Morningside Heights as Nick looks to bounce back from an injury-shortened 2012 season. As a sophomore in 2011, Nick was a definite rising star and he looks to pick up where he left off this fall.


Here's our updated unofficial list of commits so far:

1. Keith Brady, LB 6-2 205 lbs. Lakota East HS, Liberty Township, OH
2. Toure Douglas, WR 6-4 188 lbs. Vineland HS, Vineland, NJ
3. Cameron Dunn, WR 6-3 210 lbs. St. Xavier HS, Cincinnati, OH
4. Kelly Hilinski, QB 6-6 220 lbs. Notre Dame HS, Sherman Oaks, CA
5. Tyler Kwiatkowski, LB 6-3 220 lbs. Mount Carmel HS, Mount Carmel, PA
6. Charles Melka, DL 6-4 238 lbs. Benet Academy, Lisle, IL
7. Eric Mourkakos, OL/DL 6-3, 235 lbs. Dwight-Englewood HS, Englewood, NJ
8. Cameron Nizialek, K/P 6-3 195 lbs. Freedom HS, South Riding, VA
*9. Brett Nottingham, QB 6-4 212 lbs. Monte Vista HS, Danville, CA
10. Kendall Pace, OL 6-5 250 lbs. Bishop McNamara HS, Forestville, MD 
11. Will Peoples, S 6-1 190 lbs. Buckingham, Browne & Nichols, Cambridge, MA
12. Richard Wolff, OL 6-3 254 lbs. Crespi HS Encino, CA

*=Transfer from Stanford University, junior status