Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator candidate profile: Jim Leonhard

"Quickly becoming a starting safety, Leonhard was twice named to the First Team All-Big Ten team before his senior year, at which point he was finally put on scholarship. After a stellar final year with the Badgers, Leonhard went undrafted in 2005 and landed with the Bills. There, he was the only undrafted rookie to make Buffalo's roster. Injuries helped him start a handful of games towards the end of his third season, which preceded his signing in Baltimore."

"There, Leonhard started 13 games and became acquainted with defensive coordinator Rex Ryan. A year later, when Ryan was named head coach of the Jets, he brought Leonhard with him as a free agent. Leonhard was a starter in that defense, which reached consecutive AFC Championship games, before injuries began to creep in. Leonhard hung around a bit longer after his Jets stint, retiring after the 2014 season, and began his coaching career two years later as the defensive backs coach for his alma mater."

Jim Leonhard rose from a Wisconsin walk-on to a two-time First Team All-Big Ten safety and went undrafted in 2005, joining the Bills as the only undrafted rookie to make Buffalo's roster. Injuries led to some early starts and a subsequent signing in Baltimore, where he then joined Rex Ryan in New York and started for Jets defenses that reached consecutive AFC Championship games. After retiring in 2014, Leonhard began coaching at Wisconsin, advanced to defensive coordinator and served as interim head coach in 2022. He later worked at Illinois and joined the Broncos as pass game coordinator and defensive backs coach.

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