Texas quarterback commit Dia Bell named 5-star prospect in updated recruiting rankings

Since taking over at Texas, Steve Sarkisian has signed four consecutive top-five classes in the On3 Industry Football Team Recruiting Rankings. And that includes the No. 1 class in 2025. The Longhorns have majorly upgraded their roster across the board, but no position has that been more apparent than at quarterback. Sophomore Arch Manning is ready to take over for Quinn Ewers, and Texas has signed four-stars K.J. Lacey and Trey Owens in back-to-back classes.

The heir apparent to Manning might not even be in Austin yet, though. Dia Bell has been pledged to the Longhorns since June 2024 and has been considered one of the nation’s best quarterback recruits over the past few years.

On Monday, he earned five-star status in the latest recruiting rankings from On3, checking in as the nation’s No. 5 overall prospect and No. 2 passer.

The 6-foot-3, 190-pounder is coming off a junior campaign where he was the Gatorade Player of the Year in Florida, finishing his junior season with 2,597 passing yards and 29 touchdowns while completing better than 70 percent of his passes. He missed the teams final few games due to a season-ending leg injury, but was a dynamic runner as well.

Bell being recruited by other programs, but has strong relationships with the Longhorns

Programs like LSU, Alabama and others are still in contact with Bell. But he will be tough to pull away from Texas after choosing them the first time around.

“I have a really good relationship with Coach Sark,” Bell recently told InsideTexas. “When I visit, we spend time together, and we also text and call sometimes. I like to message him about the plays he calls during games that I think are great or that I have questions about. Coach Milwee and I probably have the best relationship because I spend the most time with him and we talk every week.”

He is also taking on a role as a peer recruiter as Texas looks to make another run at No. 1 class. Bell was recently in Austin for the program’s big junior day event and will be back multiple times this spring and summer while other top targets are in town.

“I want (recruits) to know that I’m going to do whatever it takes to make them feel like the Forty Acres is home to them,” he said, “like it is home to me.”