How Oklahoma TE Kaden Helms Has Gotten ‘Into Rhythm’ After Previous Injuries

NORMAN — Oklahoma practically overhauled its tight end room after the 2024 season.

One of the only constants? Kaden Helms.

Helms — a redshirt junior — and redshirt sophomore Kade McIntyre are the only two players from last year’s tight end group who are still on the team. The Sooners added Will Huggins, Carson Kent and John Locke Jr. from the transfer portal, while former linebacker Jaren Kanak switched from defense to offense and joined the tight end room.

A former 4-star prospect, Helms’ time in Norman has been defined by an injury bug. But Helms has continued to stay engaged with the program, and he’s now seeing the benefits of his dedication.

“I'm just proud of the football that he's playing and the amount of football he's getting to play,” OU coach Brent Venables said. “I know that means a lot to him, just 'cause he's been hurt a lot throughout his career. So it's just really fun to see for him.”

Despite being in Norman for three years, Helms had only appeared in 11 games for the Sooners before the 2025 season. Helms appeared three times in 2022, a year in which he redshirted, before missing the entire 2023 campaign with an injury. The tight end played in eight games last year as a redshirt sophomore, but he still missed five contests with a hamstring injury.

Though injuries prevented Helms from ever finding a consistent role on the offense in his first three seasons, the tight end did what he could to help his teammates.

“I’m the most, I guess, experienced in that room,” Helms said. “Just being able to help the guys with Oklahoma-specific stuff, kind of getting settled in and what the coaches here want, what the strength staff wants… I’m always happy to help my guys out.”

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Helms was healthy for the majority of the 2025 offseason before he sustained a hand injury that forced him to miss Oklahoma’s first four contests.

The redshirt junior made his season debut in OU’s 44-0 win against Kent State on Oct. 4 and immediately contributed. Helms caught a touchdown pass from Michael Hawkins Jr. and finished the day with a 74.2 offensive grade.

Helms played on 12 offensive snaps against the Golden Flashes, and his role has only increased since then: He has played more than 20 snaps in each of Oklahoma’s last four games.

Helms has caught only two passes since his touchdown reception against Kent State. But the 6-5, 238-pound tight end has been instrumental for Oklahoma in run- and pass-blocking situations. Helms’ 73.7 pass-blocking grade against Tennessee was his best of the 2025 season, and it followed a season-best 65.3 run-blocking grade that he recorded against Ole Miss.

The journey to becoming a key player on OU’s offense was an unconventional one for Helms. But the tight end said that his arduous path has made the payoff even more rewarding.

“God had a plan for me, and I’m finally starting to see what that plan was,” Helms said. “I’ve definitely had some rough moments here, injury wise, and it really kind of messed with my mental a little bit my first couple of years here. But the more I started to lean on God and my faith, I just kind of took it as a lesson and not really a setback, kind of just something that’s a part of my journey.”

Helms and his teammates have much to play for.

Oklahoma is ranked No. 11 in the College Football Playoff rankings, and the Sooners control their own destiny for a berth in the CFP. The Sooners battle Alabama on the road on Saturday before hosting Missouri and LSU to end the regular season.

Helms finally has his feet under him and feels ready to help his team make a playoff push.

“It’s been good to get a couple game stretch going, get into a rhythm a little bit,” Helms said. “That’s something I really haven’t been able to do really since I’ve been in college, just kind of getting in a rhythm, and it’s starting to pay off. It’s exciting.”