Get to know 2026 signee and five-star QB Dia Bell
Whether you’re a diehard recruiting aficionado in need of a refresher or a casual recruiting fan needing only the particulars, this will be the series for you.
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The first national signing day for college football is Wednesday, December 3. This series will give you the chance to familiarize yourself with the next class charged with keeping Texas near the top of the college football world.
To win at a consistently high level requires talented class after talented class. The top-10 2026 class does that following a No. 1 class in 2025.
On the first national signing day, Inside Texas will offer profiles of each member of the 2026 signing class. Up next, Dia Bell.
The Player: Dia Bell, Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Mater Lakes Academy
The Rating: 98.33 (five-star)
The Ranking: Bell is the No. 8 overall prospect, the No. 3 quarterback, and the No. 1 player in Florida in the Rivals Industry Ranking. Rivals ranks Bell as the No. 21 overall prospect, the No. 3 quarterback, and the No. 1 player in Florida.
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The Highlights:
The Recruitment: When Bell took an Uber from Dallas to Austin two summers ago because he was worried he wouldn’t get to workout in front of Steve Sarkisian at the elite camp, we knew he was serious about Texas. When every school in the country offered, he remained steady as the lead dog in Texas’ Class of 2026. He’ll be on campus in January. Texas defeated LSU and Ohio State for Bell’s signature.
The Quote: “Our class is a really tight group. We were working hard on some of the other guys this visit, trying to show them why Texas is the place to be. Coach Sark was just telling me how excited he is for this upcoming season and the future of the program.”
The Projection: Precision passer with the arm talent, size, and athleticism to translate to college football and beyond. Measured in at around 6-foot-2.5, 215 pounds with a 10-inch hand before his senior season. Mechanically clean with a smooth throwing motion that he replicates with consistency. Has polished footwork that is married to his upper body. Shows high-level arm talent, delivering well-placed passes to multiple levels of the field. A dangerous operator from the pocket. Able to evade pressure, reset his feet, and fire. Throws a pretty deep ball. Was a first-year starter as a sophomore and showed marked improvement while playing top competition as a junior. Flashed an added playmaking element and rushing component to his game down the stretch of his junior season. Ripped off long runs, including two 40+ yard touchdown runs against top programs. Completed 70.6% of his passes for 2,597 yards (11.4 yards per attempt) and 29 touchdowns against six interceptions in 2025. Also rushed for 561 yards and five touchdowns. Was tabbed as the Elite 11 MVP prior to his senior season. Also has a basketball background. Is the son of long-time NBA veteran guard Raja Bell. The level of improvement displayed throughout his junior season should be taken as an encouraging sign of his long-term upside.
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The Final Word: Sarkisian looks for his quarterback takes early in the cycle. Bell was identified during his sophomore year and was one of only four QBs offered in 2026. He’s the QB1 of this class and brings athleticism, incredible arm and mechanics, and leadership qualities.
