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Gophers land transfer portal commitment from veteran Oklahoma tight end

Kaden Helms figures to have a significant role in Minnesota's revamped TE room in 2026.
Will Ragatz|
Oklahoma Sooners tight end Kaden Helms (18) runs after a catch in the first half of the Red River Rivalry college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorn at the Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas, Texas, Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025.
Oklahoma Sooners tight end Kaden Helms (18) runs after a catch in the first half of the Red River Rivalry college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorn at the Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas, Texas, Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025. | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Minnesota Golden Gophers

The Gophers continue to do all kinds of work in the transfer portal. Their latest pickup is veteran Oklahoma tight end Kaden Helms, who has committed to Minnesota (per 247 Sports) for his final year of collegiate eligibility.

Listed at 6'5" and 238 pounds, Helms was a big-time high school recruit coming out of Nebraska in 2022. He was a four-star prospect who chose Oklahoma over offers from powerhouse programs all across the country (among them LSU, Tennessee, Michigan, Auburn, and Miami). The Gophers also offered him at the time.

Unfortunately, Helms' college career hasn't exactly lived up to the recruiting hype. He played in three games as a true freshman but wound up taking a redshirt year, then missed the entire 2023 season due to injury. Despite being healthy the last two seasons, he only played 71 offensive snaps in 2024 and 201 this past year.

For his career, Helms has appeared in 21 games and caught 8 total passes for 58 yards and 2 touchdowns (which came in blowout wins against Maine and Kent State). He caught a 16-yard pass, the longest of his career, in Oklahoma's regular season finale against LSU this past season.

Kaden Helms
NATE BILLINGS/FOR THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Despite his lack of playing time and production with the Sooners, Helms could be poised to have a solid final college season with the Gophers. Minnesota is losing its top two tight ends from 2025 to graduation in Jameson Geers (26 receptions) and former Purdue transfer Drew Biber (18). Frank Bierman (4 catches) is also out of eligibility. With those three gone, there's plenty of room for players to step up in the tight end room.

Helms' size, athleticism, and age should all work in his favor as he tries to carve out a role under position coach Eric Koehler. Other players expected to be in the mix at TE include Pierce Walsh and four-star true freshman Roman Voss, the Jackson (MN) native who chose the Gophers over Alabama. Julian Johnson, Jacob Simpson, and Sam Peters are among the other TEs currently on the roster.

Current transfer portal commtiments

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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