Texas TE Gunnar Helm Shines in Career Day vs. Michigan: 'He's a Warrior'

Texas Longhorns tight end Gunnar Helm came up big against the Michigan Wolverines.

Sep 7, 2024; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Texas Longhorns tight end Gunnar Helm (85) runs the ball in the first half against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images / Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

AUSTIN -- Could Gunnar Helm soon follow in the footsteps of Jermichael Finley, David Thomas, and former teammate Ja’Tavion Sanders? 

If he’s able to build upon his big day in Saturday’s 31-12 win over No. 10 Michigan, the NFL is certainly in his near future.

The Texas Longhorns tight end put together the best performance of his collegiate career against the Wolverines. Helm was Quinn Ewers' favorite target, as he finished with a game- and career-high in catches (seven) and receiving yards (98) while scoring his third-career touchdown. Ewers found him in the end zone for a 21-yard score in the first quarter and the Longhorns never looked back.

Texas Longhorns tight end Gunnar Helm (85) runs for a touchdown after making a catch against Iowa Stateduring the fourth quarter in the Big-12 football showdown at Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023, in Ames, Iowa / Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK

After the game, Texas coach Steve Sarkisian sung Helm's praises, touching on the fact that he's waited his turn behind Sanders the past two seasons. Now a key competent of the Longhorns' elite passing attack, Helm could be in for a highly-productive 2024 campaign.

"He's a warrior for us," Sarkisian said. "He a lot of times kind of got overshadowed the last couple years with (Ja'Tavion Sanders), but was a really viable player for us a year ago and served a big role for us. But then coming into this season, I thought Gunnar did a great job of getting himself in tip-top shape. He's moving better than he ever has, and his ability to not just catch balls, but now make people miss and create explosive plays. But bigger than that for us is his leadership that Gunnar provides. He's a guy who's been in our program for four years now. He came in, that was that first recruiting class."

The Longhorns added Alabama transfer Amari Niblack from the portal this offseason. He was expected to have a solid role in the offense this season, but has just one catch for seven yards through the first two games. Considering how productive Helm has been, Niblack might have to wait another year before becoming the starting tight end in this offense.

Niblack brings pass-catching ability to the table, but according to Sarkisian, Helm has earned the right to be the "frontline starter" based on what he's done both on and off the field during his time at Texas.

"What I love about his story is the development," Sarkisian said. "And again, I go back to this, because so much in today's world is instant gratification, and it's about the true freshman that play and so on and so forth. Gunnar's kind of worked his way and earned his time to be the frontline starter for us in Year 4, and he does things the right way, and he's a great leader for a lot of the guys in that locker room. So I'm just, I'm proud of him, I'm happy for him."

During the offseason, Helm didn’t shy away from admitting that he was entering the 2024 campaign with some next-level motivation.

"I'm trying to win as many as games as I can, and I want to win a championship," Helm said in April. " ... Coming here my first season being 5-7, no bowl game, coming from a predominantly-winning high school program, I wasn't really used to losing. Getting all the way up to the peak and falling at almost the highest peak, I've never been more hungry in my life for anything."

Helm will look to keep stacking big performances when the Longhorns host UTSA next Saturday.