Texas Longhorns TE Gunnar Helm Suffers Ugly Injury at NFL Combine

Former Texas Longhorns tight end Gunnar Helm finished drills at the NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday in Indianapolis with a twisted ankle.

During his false start on the 40-yard dash, Helm twisted his ankle, but remained silent. He went on to complete the run with a time of 4.84 seconds, a 20-yard shuttle of 4.40 seconds and a 10-yard split of 1.69 seconds.

Helm shared pictures of his ankle following an MRI Saturday, revealing a sprain. Nonetheless, he's planning on run again at his Pro Day.

Take a look:

Here is a crazy Combine story: #Texas TE Gunnar Helm twisted his ankle on his false start on the 40-yard dash, then finished all the drills anyway. Said nothing until it was over. Had an MRI on Saturday to reveal a sprain. And will run again at his Pro Day. The pics are… yikes. pic.twitter.com/fi9Uus2ASa
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 2, 2025

Helm had a career year this past season, finishing with 786 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. He was just behind Matthew Golden, who starred at the Combine, in receiving numbers on the team. His 40-yard dash performance could have moved his stock down, though, per NFL Network's Chad Reuter.

"Helm was a reliable target during his career with the Longhorns and showed solid hands during combine drills, including a nice over-the-shoulder grab during a 50/50 drill," Reuter said. "However, he didn’t help himself with a 4.84-second 40 (1.69 10-yard split) and 30-inch vertical at just 241 pounds. The lack of suddenness showed in his routes in the positional workout, too. Helm's primary contribution in the NFL will be as a pass catcher, and his combine showing casts some doubt on his chances of becoming a starter at the next level."

Helm doesn't have a fixed draft prediction. Here are some of his prominent projected picks:

Walter Football: No. 125 to the Baltimore Ravens

Rams Wire: No. 100 to the Los Angeles Rams

Pro Football Network: No. 99 to the San Francisco 49ers

Tankathon: No. 93 to the New Orleans Saints

The NFL Draft will take place from April 24-26 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.