Jojo Hayden
Jojo Hayden
Is steady in every phase without a signature trait. This is his second year in the same linebacker corps at Illinois. The receipt on tape: 7 tackles against USC, Week 5, 2025.
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- game log
Career Arc
2025 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
Splits & context
Supporting Cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Bret Bielema
Awards
Player Standing · 17 rungs
Tier 1 · 2-deepR04 · Rotational
Rotational. Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.
Career stats
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 5 · 2025
W 34–32
vs USC
7 TOT · 2 SOLO
Edged out USC at home in a shootout.
How he plays
Play style
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Illinois
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Illinois
Returning around him
- 3 Illinois players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -8 net (19 in / 27 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Illinois · Last season: 9-4 (AP #23) · Talent rank #64 · 2026 recruiting class #24
DNA match
Player DNA
Balanced Linebacker
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Colin Gallagher’s 2025 season.
Matches Colin on
Differs from Colin on
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Miquel Dingle's sophomore season at Texas Tech (2024).
Matches Miquel on