Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 31-0vs Charleston Southern | 3 | 30 | 10.0 | 0 | 15 | Season-high 30 yds |
| Wk 2 | L 7-22@ Clemson | 5 | 23 | 4.6 | 0 | 8 | |
| Total | 8 | 53 | 7.3 | 0 | 15 |
#87
River Helms
Senior tight end for Georgia Southern. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′4″ · 230 lb · Lester, AL · West Limestone
CFB Index 48 · #63 of 137 TEsMedium-low confidenceReturning to Georgia Southern for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
How he plays
Shows up in the passing game from any alignment.
Rec TDs: 21st percentile.
The full scouting readThe numbers
53
receiving yards · 2026
8 catches · 6.6 per catch
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 3 rec, 30 yds, vs Charleston Southern
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 tight end for Georgia Southern. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Western Kentucky in 2021.
- Transferred from Western Kentucky to Georgia Southern in 2025.
River Helms
Shows up in the passing game from any alignment. Across four seasons and two programs, two head coaches: Tyson Helton and Clay Helton. The receipt on tape: 30 rec yds, 3 receptions against Charleston Southern, Week 1, 2026.
53 REC YDS · 8 REC · 0 REC TD
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
He was on the field for 4 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
2021
- Signed with Western Kentucky3-star out of West Limestone
2025
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
1 coach2023–2026
Georgia Southern
Played his entire career under Clay Helton.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023Western Kentucky8-5HC: Tyson Helton · Pass-leaning
2024Western Kentucky8-6HC: Tyson Helton · Balanced
2025Georgia Southern7-6HC: Clay Helton · Balanced
2026Georgia Southern1-1HC: Clay Helton · Pass-heavy
Where this profile ranks vs the TE cohort
Box-score percentiles
Medium-low confidence
Concern: rec yards (0th percentile).
Box-score rates (5)
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 4.0 REC/g, 26.5 YDS/g, 7.3 YPR, 0.0 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Clay Helton
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Georgia Southern | 8 | 53 | 6.6 | 0 | -- |
| 2025 | Georgia Southern | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | 1 | -- |
| 2024 | Western Kentucky | 19 | 228 | 12.0 | 2 | -- |
| 2023 | Western Kentucky | 22 | 289 | 13.1 | 3 | -- |
| Career | 50 | 574 | 11.5 | 6 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 31–0
3 rec · 30 yds
Dominant 31-point win at home against Charleston Southern.
With M. Johnson — 281 yds · 1 TD · 0 INT · QBR 66.4 · A. Smith — 40 AVG · 42 LONG · 4 NO
Signature plays
Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|
The plays that mattered most
- Week 1 · Charleston Southern · 3&8 · Q1 · EPA +2.56(13:42) No Huddle-Shotgun #7 M.Johnson pass complete short left to #87 R.Helms caught at GASO44, for 9 yards to the GASO49 (#16 D.Mullins), 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · Charleston Southern · 2&10 · Q1 · EPA +2.25(04:08) No Huddle-Shotgun #7 M.Johnson pass complete short right to #87 R.Helms caught at CSU40, for 15 yards to the CSU40 (#19 A.Paulk), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Clemson · 2&6 · Q3 · EPA +0.57(11:27) No Huddle-Shotgun #7 M.Johnson pass complete short left to #87 R.Helms caught at GS19, for 8 yards to the GS22 (#22 C.Myrick), out of bounds, 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · Charleston Southern · 1&10 · Q2 · EPA +0.35(01:11) No Huddle-Shotgun #7 M.Johnson pass complete short left to #87 R.Helms caught at CSU44, for 6 yards to the CSU44, out of bounds at CSU44
- Week 2 · Clemson · 2&5 · Q1 · EPA -0.23(09:07) Shotgun #7 M.Johnson pass complete short right to #87 R.Helms caught at GS25, for 3 yards to the GS26 (#22 C.Myrick)
- Week 2 · Clemson · 1&6 · Q4 · EPA +0.15(01:46) No Huddle-Shotgun #7 M.Johnson pass complete short middle to #87 R.Helms caught at CLEM02, for 5 yards to the CLEM01 (#5 R.Hanafin)
- Week 2 · Clemson · 2&10 · Q4 · EPA -0.15(01:57) No Huddle-Shotgun #7 M.Johnson pass complete short left to #87 R.Helms caught at CLEM18, for 3 yards to the CLEM18 (#22 C.Myrick), out of bounds
- Week 2 · Clemson · 3&8 · Q4 · EPA -0.03(14:05) No Huddle-Shotgun #7 M.Johnson pass complete short left to #87 R.Helms caught at GS25, for 4 yards to the GS25 (#5 R.Hanafin), out of bounds
Game log
How he plays
Play style
No single go-to route — the receiving numbers show up inline and split out alike.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Georgia Southern
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Tight end · Georgia Southern
Returning around him
- 6% of 2024 offensive production back (Heavy turnover)
- Transfer portal: -1 net (17 in / 18 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Georgia Southern · Last season: 7-6 · Talent rank #78 · 2026 recruiting class #89
DNA match
Player DNA
Complete TE
No single go-to route — the receiving numbers show up inline and split out alike.
TE
His 2026 production profile sits closest to Ryan Bay’s 2018 season.
Matches Ryan on
Height
TD rate
Weight
Differs from Ryan on
Class year (higher)
Through 3 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Jeron Askren’s path through Missouri State.
84%match
All-Conference USA
Matches Jeron on
Weight
Yards per reception
Differs from Jeron on
Height (higher)
As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Toby Payne's senior season at Marshall (2026).
90%match
All-Sun Belt
Matches Toby on
Total EPA (college ability)
EPA / play (adj)
Yards / reception
Player DNA
Players who play like River Helms
Background
2025-26 - Sun Belt Conference Academic Honor Roll 2025-26: Played in one game, seeing action on 32 offensive snaps … Caught a 4-yard touchdown pass at Fresno State, his only catch of the year … Suffered a shoulder injury in the game and missed the remainder of the season … Was granted a medical h...
The tight end room · Georgia Southern
- #84JP Mikhael7 receiving yards · 2025
- #87River Helms4 receiving yards · 2025
- #82Jackson Longno box-score line yet
- #48Aubrey Heathno box-score line yet
- #86Henry Gregoryno box-score line yet
2 more on the roster · Georgia Southern team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology