Leophus Hayden was a three sport lettermen in football, wrestling and track (high hurdler/sprinter) while at Roosevelt. He captained each of the three teams in his senior year. His blend of speed and power earned him 3x All-City, All-Area, All-Southwest Ohio and Ohio Player of the Year (UPI) Honors. He rushed for two consecutive 1,000 yard seasons in his high school career and was named National Prep All-American and one of the top athletes in the nation by Coach and Athletic Magazine. He won 2 National Championships (1968/1970) and 3 Big Ten Conference Titles playing for Ohio State. Depsite sharing the backfield with NFL Green Bay Packers great John Brockington he still rushed for 2,795 yards and scored 15 touchdowns in his collegiate career. One of his top performances came in the 1968 Rose Bowl Game where he netted 90 yards rushing in 14 carries and had one touchdown catch. His best overall game was in his senior season against Purdue where he gained 130 yards on 14 carries. He was a first-round draft pick (24th Overall) of the Minnesota Vikings and played 3 seasons in the NFL (St. Louis Cardinals).