On the first day of athletic testing at the NFL Combine, a former Kentucky Wildcat stole the show.
Defensive trench players got first dibs on the drills at Lucas Oil Stadium. The EDGE players typically provide the most pop. Former Texas Tech pass-rusher David Bailey clocked a 4.5 40-yard dash while carrying 251 pounds. That’s moving.
As impressive as it was, his get-off was only slightly quicker than the 308-pound David Gusta. The former Kentucky defensive tackle’s 40-yard dash had the NFL world buzzing. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.88 seconds, the fifth-fastest among players at his position. What will serve him well in April was how quickly he got off the line, covering 10 yards in 1.68 seconds, the second-fastest by a defensive tackle.
Gusta only tested in one other drill. He logged a 32-inch vertical leap, good enough to be among the Top 10 defensive tackles.
Kentucky’s highest-ranked transfer portal acquisition last offseason, Gusta did not make a ton of noise, but was reliable in the trenches for the Wildcats. He does not have the best positional size, which made a strong performance at the NFL Combine imperative. The tape shows scouts an explosive interior disruptor, and he backed it up with today’s testing numbers. Gusta made a a strong case to become a day three selection at the NFL Draft in April.
Hailing from San Bernardino, California, Gusta started in all 12 games for Kentucky in 2025 at nose guard. He had 12 total tackles with 3.0 tackles for loss, one sack, and three quarterback hurries. Gusta’s career began at Washington State, and after four years, he finished with 36 starts in 44 appearances, 74 tackles, 9.0 TFLs, and 2.5 sacks.
Things will be quiet on Friday, but we’ll see a few former Wildcats back in action at the NFL Combine on Saturday. Kendrick Law and Seth McGowan will suit up when the quarterbacks throw to wide receivers and running backs at Lucas Oil Stadium. NFL Network coverage begins at 1 PM ET.
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