Elite 2026 Longhorns 5-star commit explains why he's still talking with other programs that hope to steal him from Texas
2026 five-star quarterback Dia Bell has been committed to the Texas Longhorns since last June, but that hasn't stopped other programs from continuing to pursue him. Bell, 6-foot-3/215 lbs from Fort Lauderdale, FL, is rated in 247Sports' composite rankings as the No. 3 quarterback in the nation and the No. 1 player in the state […]
2026 five-star quarterback Dia Bell has been committed to the Texas Longhorns since last June, but that hasn't stopped other programs from continuing to pursue him.
Bell, 6-foot-3/215 lbs from Fort Lauderdale, FL, is rated in 247Sports' composite rankings as the No. 3 quarterback in the nation and the No. 1 player in the state of Florida. He's also rated as the No. 13 overall player in the 2026 recruiting class.
Georgia, LSU, and Ohio State are among the programs hoping to swipe Bell from the Longhorns.
Bell, who is the son of former NBA player Raja Bell, is taking calls from other programs, despite the fact that his "heart is in Texas".
The highly coveted five-star recruit, however, acknowledged to 247Sports that his commitment to Texas is contingent on Steve Sarkisian remaining the Longhorns' head coach.
"I still take their calls," said Bell to 247Sports of the other programs pursuing him. "I like to hear what they have to say because in the world we live in, college football coaches can end up anywhere the next day. So I have to make sure I keep in contact with those coaches in case anything goes sideways but my heart is in Texas and it will be as long as coach Sark (Steve Sarkisian) and (quarterbacks coach AJ) Milwee are there."
While it's always a little uneasy for fans to hear that a commit is talking to other programs, it doesn't sound like there's anything to worry about when it comes to Bell.
The five-star recruit is simply maintaining the relationships he's built during the recruiting process. That's wise on his part — you never know who you'll cross paths with down the road if you're a recruit (especially a recruit with NFL potential).
Unless something crazy (and unexpected) happens, Sarkisian isn't leaving Austin anytime soon, which means Longhorns fans shouldn't have any worries about Bell suiting up for Texas in 2026.