Gunnar Helm’s NFL combine experience did not go as he hoped it would.
The former Texas tight end sprained his ankle during a false start in the 40-yard dash. But he gained some respect by not telling anyone. He finished the rest of the drills and then rehabbed his ankle to be ready for the Longhorns’ pro day a few weeks later.
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That story might have actually worked out in Helm’s favor ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Tennessee Titans selected Helm in the 2025 NFL Draft at No. 120 in the fourth round. Helm’s profile — an experienced player with high character — is similar to other players the Titans have gone after this week.
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The 6-foot-5, 241-pound fourth-year senior was part of a major shift in Texas football. He was a freshman in 2021 during Steve Sarkisian’s first season, after the Tom Herman era came to an unceremonious close.
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“When I got to (Texas) I was an 18-year-old kid who walked into a very broken culture, a very broken team,” Helm said. “I was able to help shift the locker room from a very young age. One of the things I think I have in my arsenal is the ability to do that at a very young age no matter what level I’m at. I feel connecting with guys on a deeper level, using the techniques in practice coach Sark had for us to rebuild that culture will be something that translates on the football field.”
Helm was a second-team All-SEC player in 2024 as a senior. He led the Longhorns with 60 receptions, a single-season school record for tight ends. He finished with 786 receiving yards (13.1 per catch) and seven touchdowns while starting all 16 games during Texas’ run to the College Football Playoff semifinals.
The Titans are focused on a cultural rebuild. Third- and fourth-round picks Kevin Wilson Jr. (Penn State safety) and Chimere Dike (Florida receiver) were both team captains.
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“It’s hard to win games in the NFL,” Titans assistant GM Dave Ziegler said. “When you have guys you have to expend resources on whether it’s medical, extra time on intelligence, character and off-field stuff — all of that is a distraction and takes away from the main focus for us, which is winning. It’s an important piece.”
Helm said he didn’t think the Titans were interested in him at first. Coincidentally, he did a lot of pre-combine training with other college tight ends in Nashville at Lipscomb Academy with AthElite’s Jeremy Holt.
“I got a lot of great tips from current NFL guys like (Vanderbilt graduate, Carolina Panthers tight end) Jordan Mathews,” Helm said. “I worked out with Mitchell Evans (Notre Dame), Jaylen Conyers (Oklahoma), Tyler Neville (Virginia). We had a great group of guys who just loved where we were, loved the city of Nashville. I’m so happy to be going back.”
Tyler Palmateer covers high school sports for The Tennessean. Have a story idea for him? Reach Tyler at [email protected] and on the X platform, @tpalmateer83. He also writes The Tennessean’s high school sports newsletter, The Bootleg. Subscribe to the newsletter here.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Titans 2025 NFL Draft pick Gunnar Helm already familiar with Nashville
