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Eastern Kentucky University Athletics

2026 Football Roster

Keshawn Hayden

  • Position Defensive Lineman
  • Ht./Wt. 6-3 / 250
  • Class Redshirt Junior
  • Hometown St. Louis, Mo.
  • High School East St. Louis
  • Previous School Central Michigan

Biography

2025 at Central Michigan
As a redshirt sophomore defensive lineman, saw action in all 13 games … Listed as a backup defensive end on the depth chart … Finished the year with 15 tackles (nine solo), 2.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks for 17 yards, a forced fumble and five quarterback hurries … Made at least one tackle in 10 of 13 games … Registered a sack for 11 yards, two tackles (one solo), and a quarterback hurry in the GameAbove Sports Bowl vs. Northwestern (12/26) … Made two tackles (one solo) with a quarterback hurry at Kent State (11/19) … Totaled a career-high two quarterback hurries and two tackles vs. Massachusetts (10/25) … Finished with a sack for six yards, one forced fumble and one tackle at Bowling Green (10/18) … Had a quarterback hurry at Akron (10/4) … Made two tackles (one solo) vs. Eastern Michigan (9/27) … Totaled two tackles (two solo) in the season opener at San Jose State (8/29).
 
2024 at Central Michigan
As a redshirt freshman defensive lineman, saw action in 11 of 12 games … Listed as a backup defensive end on the depth chart … Concluded the season with seven tackles (six solo), 1.5 tackles for loss, and three quarterback hurries … Made two tackles in season finale at Northern Illinois (11/30) … Totaled a quarterback hurry vs. Bowling Green (11/5) … Made one solo tackle, 1.0 tackle for loss with a quarterback hurry at Eastern Michigan (10/19) … Finished with a solo tackle vs. Ohio (10/12) … Made one tackle (one solo) with a quarterback hurry at Illinois (9/14) … In season opener, made two tackles (one solo) with 0.5 tackle for loss for one yard vs. Central Connecticut State (8/29).
 
2023 at Central Michigan
As a freshman defensive lineman, saw action in three games … Listed as a backup defensive end on the depth chart … Redshirted season … Finished the year with two tackles … Made an assisted tackle in season finale vs. Toledo (11/24) … Saw action at Western Michigan (11/7) … Made first career tackle in first career appearance vs. Northern Illinois (10/31).
 
HIGH SCHOOL
Enrolled at Central Michigan in January 2023 … Graduated in December 2022 from East St. Louis High School in East St. Louis, Ill., where he played two years of varsity football for Head Coach Darren Sunkett and Rod Felton … Named an IHSFCA honorable mention All-State selection following his senior year … Two-time All-Metro First Team Defensive selection … First Team All-Academic Team selection … Registered 91 total tackles (61 solo), 11 sacks, recovered one fumble, and scored a touchdown during his senior season … Made a season-high 14 tackles (12 solo) vs. Creekside, Ga. … Made 10 tackles and a sack vs. Crete-Monee … Registered nine tackles and two sacks vs. O’Fallon … Made eight tackles with two sacks vs. Oak Lawn Richards … Scored a touchdown vs. Belleville East … Led the Flyers to a 12-2 overall record, including 11 straight wins and a Class 6A state championship … Led the Flyers to a 57-7 win over Crystal Lake Prairie Ridge in the Class 6A state title game as a senior … Made 100 tackles and finished with 10 sacks and a fumble recovery as a junior … Made 13 tackles vs. De Smet … Made two sacks and nine tackles vs. Edwardsville … Guided the Flyers to an 11-3 overall record, a Class 6A state playoff appearance, a Class 6A state runner-up finish, and shutouts of all of their conference opponents … Dropped the state title game 37-36 to Cary-Grove … Attended and played his first two high school football seasons at Duchesne … Ranked the No. 26 recruit on the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Super 30 List … Ranked a three-star recruit by ESPN.com and On3.com … Rated a two-star recruit by Rivals.com and 247sports.com … Honor Roll student … Dean’s List student …
 
PERSONAL
Born Keshawn Hayden on February 21, 2005 … Son of Lekisha Hill … Also resides with his grandfather Ronald Hill … One of four siblings: Kanisha, Antwon, and Anisha … Has a twin brother Antwon JoJo Hayden, who will sign with Illinois … Nickname is “Kiki” … Grandfather competed at Indiana State … Hobbies and interests include video games … Favorite home-cooked meal is mashed potatos and Salisbury steak

Statistics

Season Statistics

Season Statistics

No statistics available for this season.

Career Statistics

There are no statistics available for this player.