This season, Texas football’s roster is loaded with highly skilled newcomers and transfers, resulting in a recruiting class ranking sixth and fifth-ranked transfer portal recruiting, according to 247Sports. These new Longhorns have not disappointed, with players such as junior wide receiver Isaiah Bond, senior defensive back Andrew Mukuba and five-star freshman wide receiver Ryan Wingo who helped lead the Longhorns to an 8–1 record and now a No. 3 Associated Press Poll ranking.

However, a familiar face on the field stands out this season.

Senior tight end Gunnar Helm has had a breakout role this season despite being at Texas since his freshman year in 2021. This season alone, Helm has held 461 receiving yards and three touchdowns in nine games, surpassing his cumulative stats for his first three years on the team. 

One skill from Helm exclusively seen this season is an explosive hurdle over the defense during the run after catch. These runs have not only gained a lot of attention but have helped the Longhorns accumulate yards after the catch. Helm also had an impressive 62 yards on six receptions against Georgia last month, in a matchup where the offense didn’t have much success. 

However, Helm’s progression might be overlooked because he has played almost every game on the Longhorn schedule dating back to his first year. Looking back at his first season, Helm said that he was just thrown into his role and had to learn by doing.

“I think I’ve made leaps and bounds since my freshman year,” Helm said. “I was behind Jared Wiley my freshman year. He’s on the Chiefs now and doing a great job but a week before our first game, he gets hurt. So, you know, I’m on the road in Arkansas, and then home against Louisiana Lafayette. It was definitely very eye-opening. I was thrown kind of right into the fire.”

Since his freshman year, Helm has prided himself on working hard to get where he is this season. In his time at Texas, he has improved his passing-catching game, yards after the catch, stretching the defense and perfecting his routes. Yet, he doesn’t just credit himself. 

“I’ve had the pleasure of playing with a lot of really good tight ends, a lot of NFL tight ends,” Helm said. “So taking things from Ja’Tavion (Sanders’) game, taking things from Jared Wiley’s game, taking things from Cade Brewer’s game, I think it’s made me the player I am today. And obviously trusting Coach Sark (Sarkisian) and Coach Banks and Coach Flood, and when you know that; when they were telling me; when it was tough to believe, ‘Just trust the process.’”

With his transformative success, Helm has turned into a potential NFL tight end, and, being from head coach Steve Sarkisian’s “inaugural recruiting class,” he could not be more excited for Helm.

“I’ve been really proud of Gunnar,” Sarkisian said. “Gunnar continued to work at it, and I think the dedication that he made to developing himself in the passing game, we saw glimpses of it last year, but what he’s been able to do this year has become a real weapon … a guy that can not only catch the ball but can create explosive plays and can make people miss in the open field.”