David Gusta
Kentucky
Scouting Report

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.

Strengths
Weaknesses
Pro ComparisonAkeem Spence

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.

Trait Grades
🚀 Pass Rush
62
🧱 Run Defense
65
⚡ First Step
64
🤚 Hand Usage
69
🔥 Motor
72
🏋️ Strength
77
College Production (2025)
TFL
3
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