Texas тιԍнт end Gunnar Helm was hiding a gruesome injury while taking part in NFL combine drills this weekend, new pictures show.
Helm badly twisted his ankle on a false start of the 40-yard-dash, with the injury later diagnosed as a sprain by an MRI.
But Helm managed to finish all of his drills, and pH๏τos sent to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport afterwards show what the 22-year-old was battling through.
Pictures posted to X show significant bruising and swelling on the prospect’s ankle, which in one pH๏τo is black and blue.
Rapoport added that Helm did not disclose the injury to anybody until he was finished at the combine in Indianapolis.
Unfortunately, it seems as though the injury hampered his performance, as his 40-yard-dash time of 4.84 seconds was the third-worst among тιԍнт ends.
Gunnar Helm could be seen badly twisting his ankle on a false start of the 40-yard-dash
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 gutted out the injury to complete his drills at the combine, but struggled in certain areas
He also posted the slowest time in the 10-yard-split among тιԍнт ends, and the worst mark in the vertical jump compared to his positional peers.
Helm did fare better in the three-cone drill, placing fourth of eight тιԍнт ends, while he finished sixth of nine total тιԍнт ends in the 20-yard shuttle.
It remains to be seen how – or if – Helm’s combine affects his draft stock, though he is well-regarded by evaluators.
He is graded as the fifth-best тιԍнт end in this draft class by NFL.com, who say he will ‘eventually be an average starter.’
The only тιԍнт ends to have a higher grade from the site are (in order): Penn State’s Tyler Warren, Michigan’s Colston Loveland, LSU’s Mason Taylor and Bowling Green’s Harold Fannin Jr.
If Helm chooses to participate in Texas’ Pro Day, he’ll have several weeks to recover ahead of the March 26 event.
