Gunnar Helm's tape is already forcing questions about the Titans' TE plan

While far from the Tennessee Titans’ most pressing need, tight end has been a position of instability in recent years. Continuing their theme of adding day-three pass catchers in the draft, Tennessee selected Texas tight end Gunnar Helm with the second of their three fourth-round picks.

Despite Chigoziem Okonkwo being one of the more significant contributors on recent Titans offenses, the inconsistency of his play has been a hindrance. With Okonkwo entering the last year of his rookie contract, the selection of Helm seems to be an early indicator of Tennessee’s future plans.

The drafting of Helm may have been a move in preparation for the future, but that doesn’t mean he won’t see significant snaps as a rookie. A scenario in which he usurps the starting tight end spot within his first season is a realistic possibility.

What does Gunnar Helm bring to the Titans offense?

In a draft class full of picks based upon traits and projection, the selection of Helm broke this mold. While his ceiling may not be as high as other tight ends in the class, he was one of (if not the) safest picks in the entire draft. The scouting terms “high-floor” and “NFL-ready” are often thrown around too loosely, but are warranted when discussing the former Longhorns tight end.

What Helm lacks in pure athleticism and twitch, he makes up for with technique. His athletic limitations are somewhat of a governor on his separation ability, but he still finds ways to succeed against man coverage.

Specifically, he’s masterful when hand fighting to create separation at the top of his route stems. In addition to excelling against contact, he also routinely uses head fakes to gain advantageous leverage against defenders. 

Helm’s theme of succeeding through contact also extends to his abilities at the catch point. Probably the most electric part of his game, he thrives in every facet of contested catch situations.

He uses every bit of his 6-foot-5, 250 pound frame to box out defenders when battling for passes in traffic. Paired with his vice grip hands and exceptional ball tracking, Helm poses a significant threat as both a jump-ball receiver and red-zone threat. 

While being a threat at the catch point, Helm is also a consistent weapon with the ball in his hands. Being used heavily as a screen target in the 2024 Texas offense, expect his after-the-catch ability to be a focal point of his usage in the Titans’ offense as a rookie. 

What caused Gunnar Helm to fall to day three of the draft?

Despite the film showing a technically advanced and NFL-ready tight end, Helm’s lack of athleticism caused him to slip into day three of the NFL draft. Posting a debilitating 4.84 40-yard dash, his lack of explosive athletic testing caused his fall on many teams’ draft boards.

While his 40-time later turned out to be the result of an ankle injury, the film doesn’t necessarily tell a different story. While his athletic limitations may lower his overall ceiling, he still possesses the skill set to be a contributor early on in his career.

How Gunnar Helm's blocking will impact his role in Tennessee's offense

Despite spending most of the draft cycle being talked about as a traditional inline Y-tight end, the much more realistic scenario is that Helm inherits the F-tight end role currently taken by Okonkwo. While he does bring more power than Okonkwo, he still struggles to survive as a true inline run blocker. Despite flashes of success, the lack of overall play strength, inconsistent hand placement, and leverage issues prevent him from taking over a full-time Y role. 

As always, placing starting-caliber expectations on a rookie (especially a day-three pick) is dangerous, but Helm’s film shows a high-floor tight end who should be and early contributor to the 2025 Titans’ offense.