Class of 2027 wide receiver Braylon Lane from C.E. King committed to Houston on March 31, giving Houston six commits in the 2027 class. Lane is one of the five from the Houston area.
How the staff kept him home
Lane mentioned that he attended one of Houston’s summer camps and really caught the staff’s attention. The Coogs had already been in contact with him, but watching him in person changed things. The staff offered Lane after seeing him compete.
Even before the offer was official, Lane mentioned that the staff was “consistent” with communication. At the time, former wide receiver coach Derrick Sherman was leading the charge. But throughout the process, Lane said he had a “real close connection” with new wide receiver coach Brian Bell, who was an assistant at the time.
Braylon on Brian Bell:
Brian Bell lays it out
In our conversation, Lane kept coming back to how honest the staff was with him. He mentioned that coach Bell not only showed him where he stood on their board, where the recruits ahead of him stood, and how many spots are available at receiver. It’s no secret that schools are trying to sign more than one player at a position, and every coach has a hierarchy. But such honesty also says a few things about the relationship being built.
Bell believes that Lane can handle the honesty. And Lane can trust that Bell is honest with him now, as they’re just building a bond. Football creates some tense moments between players and coaches, so being able to navigate a sensitive topic early is important.
What Lane brings to Houston
It’s easy to see that Braylon has a chip on his shoulder. Despite receiving offers from schools around the country, he still seems to feel he has something to prove. When he mentioned being offered at the UH camp, he said, “I had to earn it.” After committing to Houston, he told me, “They won’t regret it.”
C.E. King made it to the state final last season and was loaded with talent. Lane has learned that he can affect the game without touching the ball on every play. Good players at the high school level are used to a heavy workload, and it can be an adjustment in college when not being featured as heavily.
Lane stands 6’2” and weighs 185 pounds, and has good speed as well. My day job is for Catapult Sports, so I put a GPS tracker on him in the game against Dickinson this past season. He ran over 20 mph. He runs on several of his school’s relay teams and has also run the hurdles.
Braylon is a smart player and understands the subtleties of the position well. You can see him change speeds in and out of breaks to create separation. And he finds soft spots in the defense and sets up there, using his frame to create an easy target for his quarterback. He uses his frame well to extend and catch the ball away from his body and is very controlled on the field.
Houston will host Lane on an official visit on May 28-30. He canceled all but two other visits after committing. He will be visiting Arkansas and Iowa State, and Derrick Sherman still. Those are scheduled in June.
Do you love Houston Cougar Football?
Help GoCoogs.com continue to report day-to-day information on the Houston Cougars. We’ve already published over 175 pieces since January 1 – all focused on the Coogs. Our podcasts, basketball scouts, recruiting info, and behind-the-scenes information for UH Football and Basketball can’t be found anywhere else.
Get *all* of our content and insider information by supporting GoCoogs.com as an annual Recruiting+ subscriber for just $50 or a GoCoogs+ subscriber for $100. Thank you!
