James Monroe’s Gus Cole Gus Cole 6'0" | 240 lbs | OL/DL James Monroe | 2028 WV is putting himself in the conversation as one of the top defensive linemen in the 2028 class this year. The 6’2 255 junior has a stout frame with room to add more mass, but his strength already stands out at the point of attack. Cole fires off the ball quickly and gets consistent push, which is a difficult for offensive linemen to counter. He swallows up interior running lanes and can consistently penetrate to make plays behind the line of scrimmage. Cole is a two-way starter for the Mavericks, but I love his long-term upside on the defensive side of the ball. With how he’s playing this year, you may likely see Cole in the Top 10 of the 2028 DL rankings in the next update.

RETURNING STANDOUT

2028 OL/DL Gus Cole is set to return after an injury cut his sophomore season short just one game into the year. The 6’0 240 lineman started on both sides of the football before the setback and is expected to reclaim a major role in the trenches this fall. Cole brings a strong, physical style of play and gives James Monroe another dependable presence along the line of scrimmage. A healthy return would provide a significant boost to the Mavericks on both the offensive and defensive fronts and be a strength of the team this fall.