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] 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.[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.[7] In week 5, Gbenda notched eight tackles with one being for a loss in a win over Mississippi State.
