Gusta is the kind of high-effort, low-production interior defender that a good DL coach will love on the practice field and hate on the stat sheet. He brings genuine violence to his hands — his club-rip at the snap can stagger guards — and a motor that never shuts off, but 2.5 career sacks across 44 college games tells you he's a pocket-pusher, not a quarterback-getter. The 2026 Combine was a game-changer: he led all DTs in bench press (37 reps), posted a 9.75 RAS, and earned the highest NGS athleticism score among interior linemen (91). The tools scream rotational penetrator in a one-gap scheme, but the pad level is a genuine concern — he gets stood up and ridden when he plays tall, and the inconsistent body control limits his ability to hold gaps. If a team can teach him to play low and trust his hands, there's a useful NFL nose tackle in there; if not, he's a preseason standout who never cashes the check.
- Violent hands with a devastating initial punch that displaces offensive linemen at the point of attack
- Elite combine athlete: 37 bench reps (DL leader), 4.88 40, 1.68 10-yard split, 9.75 RAS — rare explosion for 308+ pounds
- Relentless motor that never slows down from first snap to last; effort is never in question
- Quick first step off the snap creates immediate disruption and fits a one-gap penetrating scheme
- Can win with multiple pass-rush moves including club-rip combination that catches guards off balance
- Severely limited college production: 2.5 career sacks and 9 TFL across 44 games and 1,657 career snaps
- Pad level is inconsistent — gets too high out of his stance and allows offensive linemen to drive him off the ball
- Limited arm length creates leverage issues and makes it difficult to control gaps against double teams
- 2025 Kentucky tape showed regression from his 2024 Washington State breakout, particularly in tackling
Steelers Depot's comp. Similar profile: undersized, high-effort interior defender with violent hands and pass-rush flashes, limited sack production but enough disruption to carve out a rotational NFL career based on effort and physicality rather than premium traits.