Gunnar Helm Scouting Report
By: Michael Higgins
(Image courtesy of Eric Gay/AP Photo)
School: Texas
Class: Senior
Position: TE
HT: 6’5
WT: 241 lbs
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Background: Gunnar Helm was a 3-star tight end from Englewood, Colorado. Helm was a top 50 tight end in the 2021 class while also being a top 10 player in Colorado. Gunnar played for Cherry Creek High School in Englewood. He was both an all-league and all-state selection as a senior. He was a member of a Cherry Creek team that won back-to-back state titles during his junior and senior seasons. Gunnar also played basketball at Cherry Creek. Gunnar Helm committed to Texas over UCLA, Michigan State, Iowa, and others.
College: Helm became a real contributor for the Longhorns as a sophomore in 2022. He made four starts that season, recording 5 receptions for 44 yards. Helm earn All-Big 12 honorable mention honors as a junior in 2023. He tallied 14 receptions for 192 yards that season. Gunnar had a breakout 2024 season, totaling 60 receptions for 786 yards and 7 touchdowns. This performance was good enough to get him All-SEC Second Team as a senior.
Strengths: Gunnar Helm is a savvy tight end who makes his money by attacking the seams and stretching the defense vertically. Helm has consistent hands in every area of the field. In the short areas, he can be seen on crossers or flat routes as a short yardage option. Helm is heavily utilized in the screen game, displaying incredible craftiness with the ball in his hands to find open grass. When going vertical, Helm has no issue with tracking the football over his shoulder or high pointing the football and getting physical at the catchpoint. He will not blow you away with speed, but he is a fluid athlete who can certainly move well. Whether it is lowering his head and getting physical or using that athleticism to put on a move with the ball in his hands, Helm is impressive. As a run blocker, Helm takes pride in winning his matchup. He displays technical nuance as he gets low and under the pads of his defender to win the leverage battle at the point of attack.
Weaknesses: While Helm does well off the line as a run blocker, he struggles sustaining blocks and can often lose his control on the rep. His technique is sound, but he loses against those stronger power rushers. As a route runner, Helm has rounded routes in the intermediate areas and struggles to make those sharp cuts necessary to create separation. Helm struggles to separate vertically with speed as he is not known as a speed demon, per se.
Conclusion: Gunnar Helm can produce consistently at the next level. Maybe he won’t have All-Pro numbers, but he will be a reliable option in an offense. He can do it all at a proficient level, which is more valuable at tight end than other positions. There is not a weakness in Helm’s game that is too large to overcome.
Scheme Fit: 12 personnel
Ideal Role: Y TE
Best Team Fits: LAC, IND, NO
Player Comparison: Tyler Conklin
Player Grade: Round 4 (66.3)
