Gbenda attended Cinco Ranch High School in Cinco Ranch, Texas. As a junior, he totaled 56 tackles with eight going for a loss, and two sacks, earning first-team all-district and All-American honors.[1][2] Coming out of high school, Gbenda was rated as a four-star recruit and committed to play college football for the Texas Longhorns over offers from schools such as Arkansas, Baylor, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Ole Miss, TCU, and Texas A&M.[3]
College career
In his first four years with Texas from 2019 through 2022, Gbenda appeared in 32 games where he made three starts for the Longhorns, notching 55 tackles with two being for a loss, a sack, two pass deflections, and an interception in a limited role.[4] He finished the 2023 season with 50 tackles with three and a half being for a loss, a sack and a half, and a pass deflection.[5] Instead of declaring for the 2024 NFL draft, Gbenda decided to return to play for the Longhorns in his final season of eligibility in 2024.[6] He entered the season as one of the starting linebackers for the Longhorns.[7] In week 5, Gbenda notched eight tackles with one being for a loss in a win over Mississippi State.[8]
