Steve Sarkisian, the Texas football head coach, has a knack for recruiting top-of-the-line quarterbacks. From Quinn Ewers to Arch Manning, Sarkisian has been involved in the recruitment of several notable quarterbacks over the last five years.

Now, he’s done it again with four-star recruit Dia Bell, who announced his commitment to Texas on X.

Bell, a Fort Lauderdale, Florida, native, is the second-ranked quarterback and the 10th overall prospect of his 2026 class. Entering into his junior year of high school, he is committed to Texas with 37 other recruitment offers.

Bell’s pocket-passing portfolio started before he even stepped into high school, playing four varsity games as an eighth grader and garnering 12 attempted passes and two rushing touchdowns. He made appearances in nine games during his freshman season, making a total of 13 out of 21 completed passes for 317 yards and four touchdowns, with an additional 30 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown. 

His sophomore season at American Heritage High School boosted his name in the recruitment world. With 20 passing touchdowns, Bell threw for 1,929 yards and had four interceptions all season long.

Bell’s recruitment profile is not the only thing that made his name memorable. His father is Raja Bell, a former NBA shooting guard and two-time NBA All-Defensive Team member. Playing for a multitude of teams throughout 12 seasons, Bell passed his athletic prowess on to his son, who also plays basketball in high school with an average of 20.7 ppg, 5.0 apg and 4.6 rpg during his freshman season.

Bell is the newest name to top Sarkisian’s recruiting resume of high-caliber quarterbacks, now the eighth gunslinger to join this list that started with Bryce Young in 2020, when Sarkisian coached at Alabama. Sarkisian was also involved in the recruitments of Jalen Milroe, Ewers, Maalik Murphy, Manning, Trey Owens and KJ Lacey. 

Recruiting talented young players is extremely important when considering the longevity and quality of an athletic program. Alongside Bell’s commitment, Texas is entering the 2024 season with, if not the best, one of the top quarterback rooms in the country.

“Thank you to everyone who offered me a chance to pursue my dreams at your school,” Bell posted on X, along with a picture of him in Texas whites. “I am grateful for all of you and the relationships we built. These photos were from two years ago to the day. It was always the plan!”