Jim Leonhard is not really thinking about the Wisconsin Badgers as he assembles his defensive team for the Buffalo Bills. Yet, he just made a move that quietly and amazingly helps the Badgers. It will also make Wisconsin fans chuckle a little bit. Leonhard just hired away Bobby April III from Minnesota to be his OLBs coach in Buffalo.
The funny part is that April was just hired in Minnesota and never even coached a play on the sideline for the Golden Gophers. He was hired this offseason from Stanford after being the defensive coordinator for the Cardinal for the last three seasons. Now the Golden Gophers and PJ Fleck are already back to looking for a new defensive line coach.
The #Bills are hiring Bobby April III as their new OLBs coach, source said. He was the DC at Stanford the last 3 years, and previously to that, he worked with Jim Leonhard at Wisconsin. April was with the Bills 10 years ago, as well.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 2, 2026
Jim Leonhard is turning to an old friend from Wisconsin to build his Buffalo staff
Related: The fun things Buffalo Bills fans are saying about former Badger Jim Leonhard
It's not just that Leonhard took a coach from a rival that helps out Wisconsin; it also puts former Wisconsin coaches into the NFL. April coached OLBs and was the run game coordinator for the Badgers for five seasons with Leonhard and under Paul Chryst. He's now bringing an old friend to the NFL with him.
This actually isn't April's first stint for the Bills, but it's his first in a while. He was on the Buffalo staff from 2015 to 2016 as a defensive assistant before heading into other coaching opportunities.
Leonhard continues to look back on his Wisconsin days as he builds his NFL coaching staff. He isn't just grabbing April for OLBs; he's also rumored to be thinking about getting former Badger Jay Valai. These hires continue to show that the roots run deep for Leonhard and Wisconsin. It also continues to boost the overall profile of Wisconsin and the NFL.
Leonhard with a home run hire of April helps Wisconsin whether he realizes it or not.