David Gusta has amazing numbers for a defensive tackle; a freak is how most scouts describe his abilities. His production was lacking, however. 37 reps in the bench press showcase his incredible strength. He is a round two physical talent who played at times like an undrafted free agent type.
David Gusta 2026 NFL Draft Overview
Position: Defensive Tackle
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 308 pounds
School: Kentucky
308-pound @UKFootball DT David Gusta with a 4.88u 40, with a 1.68u 10-yard split 👀
2026 NFL Combine on @nflnetwork
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/MC5n8NrV3F— NFL (@NFL) February 26, 2026
2026 NFL Draft David Gusta Scouting Report
Strengths
- Heavy hands and a motor that never stops are two of his traits that stand out on film. Scouts love that he is always on the go and is difficult for offensive linemen to disengage from.
- His first burst off the ball is incredible, with hands that pack a serious punch.
- He plays as hard in the fourth quarter as he does in the first quarter.
- Gusta collected 37 bench press reps at the NFL Combine. This guy is a beast.
- 4.88 in the 40-yard dash and 1.68 in the 10-yard split show both his speed and short-burst quickness
- His 8’1” broad jump was solid, and a 32” vertical jump was top 10 among defensive tackles.
- Gusta is smart and doesn’t get influenced by line schemes. He handles zone concepts like a solid professional and maintains his gap responsibilities and both inside and outside runs.
- Gusta’s thighs are like tree trunks, and with a powerful lower half, he is tough for one offensive lineman to ever move out of the way.
- He has deceptive first-step quickness, much quicker than it appears from live action.
- Even though Gusta doesn’t have one great pass-rush move, he uses a series in his toolbox depending upon the situation.
- Gusta doesn’t get fooled by fakes, misdirection, and play-action. He trusts his eyes and rarely makes mistakes.
- Played against top SEC opponents without seeing a lack of production.
David Gusta is a DT prospect in the 2026 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.75 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 52 out of 2046 DT from 1987 to 2026.
Splits projected, all times unofficial, agilities left to run.https://t.co/1euLA6gcOh pic.twitter.com/1GNSrLMFuV
— RAS.football (@MathBomb) February 26, 2026
Weaknesses
- Played 44 games in college, yet only had 2.5 sacks. Scouts are concerned that although he places pressure on quarterbacks, he doesn’t get to the quarterback as much as he should.
- Gusta’s arm length, 31 ⅛,” alarmed scouts, not an ideal length for a defensive tackle.
- Gusta ends on the ground on pass rush attempts far more often than a top defensive tackle should.
- His physical traits point to a first-round talent, but the production in college was not first-round caliber.
- He will be vulnerable to being moved out of the way by large offensive linemen, as his shorter arms are going to be a hindrance to avoiding double teams.
- Struggles to get off one-on-one blocks once offensive linemen engage
- Has shown a tendency to use one-arm tackles and not wrapping up with both arms
NFL Comparison: Dean Lowry, Adam Butler, Mike Pennel
Teams With Need At Position: Atlanta Falcons, Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packer,s Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles
.@UKFootball DT David Gusta put up 37 reps on the bench press.
The best part is hearing how hyped up everyone was for him. 🗣️
2026 NFL Combine continues today at 3pm ET on @nflnetwork
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/rfPgWtrzAn— NFL (@NFL) February 27, 2026
Projection: Rounds 6-7
David Gusta is a defensive tackle with a high motor and high ceiling, targeted by the Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, and Pittsburgh Steelers in particular. The Bengals eye him as a rotational fit on the line, the Bears as a gap player in Matt Eberflus’ defense, and the Steelers for his alignment with hard-nosed football that the Steelers embrace.
Bottom Line on David Gusta
Gusta perplexes scouts. His game film and results is that of a marginal round 7 prospect. His traits, drills, and NFL Combine numbers point to a Round 2 prospect. He was a stud in the East-West Shrine Bowl and is easily described as a freak for his workout numbers. A team will gamble on being able to coach Gusta into how to best use his leverage and maintain body control. Easily the defensive tackle prospect who could vault into the biggest steal of the position group in this year’s draft.
Main Images: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
