Gophers Defensive Assistant Reportedly Headed to NFL

Minnesota is back on the market for a new rush ends coach.

Oct 22, 2015; London, United Kingdom; Buffalo Bills linebackers coach Bobby April III at practice at the Grove hotel in preparation for the NFL International Series game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Bobby April III was officially announced as the Gophers' new rush ends coach on Jan. 16, but he's already off to a new job. NFL Insider Ian Rapoport reported on Sunday that he's expected to join the Buffalo Bills' staff as their new outside linebackers 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

Subscribe: Sign up to receive the free Gophers On SI newsletter

April was previously Stanford's outside linebackers coach and defensive coordinator from 2023 to 2025. Minnesota added him to its staff after letting go of defensive line coach Dennis Dottin Carter and promoting rush ends coach C.J. Robbins to that role this offseason. April would've brought more than 20 years of coaching experience to Minnesota's staff.

The Bills hired former Wisconsin defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard for the same position on new head coach Joe Brady's first staff. April previously worked for the Bills as a linebackers coach from 2015 to 2016, and then with Leonhard as the outside linebackers coach at Wisconsin from 2018 to 2022. They will now reunite in Buffalo,

The Gophers are now back on the market for a new rush ends coach. With a relatively young defensive coaching staff, it would make sense to look for a candidate with experience like April. They will have plenty of time to fill the role before spring practices get underway later this year.