The Texas Longhorns have landed a commitment from Ft. Lauderdale (FL) American Heritage 2026 Top247 QB Dia Bell.
The son of former standout NBA defender Raja Bell, Dia is ranked as the No. 10 overall prospect in the nation, No. 3 quarterback in the nation, and No. 1 overall prospect in Florida according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings.
Bell is now the second prospect to commit to the Longhorns in the rising 2026 junior class, joining Aledo three-star running back Raycine Guillory who committed to Texas following the annual Junior Day recruiting event that took place on Jan. 20.
The 6-foot-2, 195 pound NBA legacy ultimately chose the Longhorns over Auburn, LSU, Miami, Penn State, Ohio State, and Oregon amongst 31 other programs.
Horns247 was able to catch up with Bell to get his thoughts on the Longhorns following the OT7 7on7 tournament that took place in Dallas the Apr. 6-7 weekend.
The Florida native originally received his offer from the Longhorns following an unofficial visit to the Forty Acres to catch Texas in practice back on Mar. 19.
"It was a great practice," Bell said of the Mar. 19 opening spring ball practice he attended. "I hadn't been there in a while, the last time I was there was probably eighth grade for a camp so being able to see how they operate in practice was big for me."
The offer came as a surprise, but a good one as it meant he was given the opportunity to play alongside his 7on7 teammate and good friend KJ Lacey.
"It meant a lot. I wasn't expecting it, I was expecting to come back in the summer for a camp and hopefully getting it then but they kind of just sprung it on me then and so we've been in touch every week so it's been good. I'm also great friends with KJ [Lacey] so it's always been a relationship I've had."
With Bell's close relationship with Lacey, you could imagine he heard the Texas recruiting pitch from the Longhorns 2025 QB commit multiple times.
"A little bit, I mean he'll say it on the low a little bit like you won't realize it until after you think about what he just said that he's saying it but he's always just has high praise about Texas and tries to give me little pointers."
Prior to his visit in March, Bell hadn't formally met Steve Sarkisian quite yet. Texas quarterbacks coach AJ Milwee on the other hand had begun establishing the relationship with Bell going back to last year.
"I was never in contact with coach Sark. I probably met him for the first time when I was there this past visit and then coach Milwee, I forgot when he started reaching out to my coach and I started reaching out to him but it was probably last summer or something like that. My coach told me he wanted to talk to me so I called him and we've been building that relationship for this past whole year but yeah he always remembered me he said. We've always had a connection as soon as we started talking."
With Bell already holding more than three dozen offers before the end of his sophom*ore year, I asked if he's given thought to how important proximity and location could be with Bell being a state of Florida prospect.
"I mean as long as I'm playing at the next level it doesn't really matter as long as I'm not going all the way across the country that far where my parents won't ever be able to see me, that's the only thing I've thought about. Proximity really hasn't meant much besides going all the way across the country."
While he worked to trim his list down to just one, Bell made sure to look into the previous signal callers signed by certain schools.
"That definitely goes into consideration, who they have in the 2025 class and the 2024 class and how long they're going to be there but I feel like wherever I go will be the best fit for me and hopefully that'll have me prepared for the next level after that and that's kinda what I'm looking into for a school whatever school is gonna be best to prepare me for the next level."
As far as his commitment timeline went, Bell said it'll happen when it happens, and it's now happened.
"I've definitely thought about it, I was hoping to maybe do it this summer, but that's definitely still up in the air I mean when it happens it'll happen but that's kinda what I've thought about but I don't honestly know yet."
At 6-foot-2, 195 pounds Bell is ranked as the No. 10 overall prospect in the nation, No. 2 quarterback in the nation, and No. 1 overall prospect in Florida according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings.
