2025 Football Roster
Jersey Number 30
Jojo Hayden
- Position:
- LB
- Class:
- Sophomore
- Height:
- 6-2
- Weight:
- 245
- Major:
- Recreation, Sport, & Tourism
- Hometown:
- East St. Louis, Ill.
- High School:
- East St. Louis
2025 Sophomore
- Played in 11 games
- 26 tackles (13 solo), 1.5 tackles for loss, one fumble recovery, and one quarterback hurry
- Four tackles (two solo), with 0.5 tackles for loss vs. #1 Ohio State (10/11/25)
- Five tackles (three solo) with a fumble recovery and a quarterback hurry in rivalry win at Purdue (10/4/25)
- Career-high seven tackles (two solo) in win vs. #21 USC (9/27/25)
- Five tackles (three solo) with 1.0 tackle for loss in win vs. Western Michigan (9/13/25)
2024 Redshirt Freshman
- Played in 10 games as a redshirt freshman in 2024
- Eight tackles (four solo), 0.5 tackles for loss, and one QB hurry on the season
2023 Redshirts
- Did not play in a game and redshirted the season
High School
- Four-star recruit by Rivals
- Three-star recruit by 247Sports, ESPN, and On3
- Position ranks: #25 (Rivals), #65 (247), #107 (ESPN), #172 (On3)
- State ranks: #8 (Rivals), #18 (ESPN), #22 (247), #46 (On3)
- Played for head coach Darren Sunkett at East St. Louis Senior High
- Helped East St. Louis to the 2022 IHSA 6A state championhship at Memorial Stadium
- Two-time IHSFCA 6A All-State
- Two-time St. Louis Post-Dispatch All-Metro
- Four-time All-Southwestern Conference
- 92 tackles and 9.0 sacks as a senior
- Offers included Colorado, Mississippi State, Missouri, Arkansas State, Buffalo, Central Michigan, Toledo, and Western Michigan
Personal
- Born on February 21, 2005
- Son of Lekisha Hill
- Twin brother, Keshawn, and two sisters, Anisha and Kanisha.
- Chose Illinois because, “It was the best place for me and a place I see that will change enormously in the future.”
- Majoring in recreation, sport, & tourism
Thursday, March 05
Thursday, February 12
Thursday, February 05
Wednesday, January 21
