Houston Lands 2027 Standout Louisiana Wide Receiver
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Houston's head coach, Willie Fritz, has made it a point to recruit locally, and that has been a main focus since he took over the program two years ago.
Fritz and staff earned another local commitment from Gary Burney Jr., who is a high school standout in Louisiana.
Burney is now the 11th commitment in Houston's 2027 class, which currently ranks No. 6 in the Big 12 Conference.
What Gary Burney Jr. Brings To Houston
Burney is a wide receiver at Parkway High School in Bossier City, La. He ranks as a 3-star and the No. 20 player in Louisiana.
On a national level, he ranks No. 607 overall, and he is the No. 71 wide receiver in the country.
While Burney is now committed to the University of Houston, he holds offers from LSU, Baylor, Cincinnati, Tulane, and several others.
In his junior season, he stood out to many schools nationally because of his elite production. In 2025, he recorded 76 catches for 1,367 yards and 15 touchdowns, making him one of the top receiving threats in the state.
He also averaged 17.7 yards per reception, making him an explosive-play threat every time he touches the ball.
He is also a multi-sport athlete, as he runs track, participating in the 200-meter dash and the 4X100 relay, per Athletic.net.
Burney stands at 6-foot-2 and weighs 185 pounds, and he projects as a speedy guy who can make difficult catches because of his athleticism.
He is the fourth receiver to join Houston's 2027 recruiting class, and he brings an athletic build with high-end speed to the table.
Now with the commitment of Burney, Houston has a solid start to its 2027 class with 11 total commitments.
Having four receivers committed to the Cougars this early in the recruiting cycle certainly is an encouraging sign for Houston.
Top recruits all around the Houston area are taking notice of the work that Fritz and staff have done by turning the Cougars into a force in the Big 12.
In just the past year, offensive coordinator Slade Nagle and Fritz have installed an offense with a lot of firepower, improving from 14 points per game in 2024 to over 29 last season.
A lot of this success is because quarterback Conner Weigman, along with the talented receiving room.
With Houston now having a top offense as well as a wealth of top recruits coming into the program, the Cougars have a lot of momentum, and they will not be slowing down anytime soon.
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Ashton Grissom is a staff writer for Houston Cougars on SI. He is currently a senior at the University of Houston and majoring in Sports Media Production with a minor in Marketing and Spanish. He also works for two student organizations: The Cougar and CoogTV. You can find Grissom on his Instagram (@ashtonagrissom8) or Twitter (@ashtongrissom8).