So much for waiting until college to make an impact! Steve Sarkisian probably had no clue when Dia Bell pledged to Texas on June 17, 2024. This kid would bring elite-level hardware to Austin before ever signing his National Letter of Intent. But here we are, he just set an elite record as the first Longhorn commit.
The son of former NBA player Raja Bell, Dia Bell owned the Elite 11 Finals in Los Angeles. On3Recruits reported that he is the overall On3 MVP of the Elite11 Finals after a near flawless Day 3 where he delivered in the 7v7 portion completing 18 of 23 passes for four scores. He rose ahead of other talented 2026 QBs including Keisean Henderson (Houston commit), Helaman Casuga (Texas A&M), Terry Walker III (Duke), and more. But it was the post-win moment that really hit home.
Why worry about a pair of glasses when your son just won the Elite 11 MVP right? On June 19, Rivalsdotcom posted an Instagram reel that captured a heartwarming moment between Raja Bell and Dia Bell. The father-son duo locked in an embrace that ended with Dia saying “you just broke my glasses though.” But it’s all good vibes and the pair continued to pose for photos.
Dia Bell, who’s a standout at American Heritage in Fort Lauderdale, is already ranked No. 5 among 2026 QBs and No. 21 overall in the country per 247Sports. He’s also the face of Steve Sarkisian’s future, headlining a haul that includes 5-star ATH Jermaine Bishop. And he’s totally locked with Texas and shut down his recruitment early on.
Despite a season-ending leg injury last fall, Dia Bell still threw for 2,597 yards and 29 TDs completing 70.6% of his passes. He also racked up 561 yards and five scores with his legs. That earned him Florida’s Gatorade Player of the Year honors. And now, he’s Elite 11 MVP, joining the same club as Caleb Williams and CJ Stroud. And if you think this is just some early peak, think again.
Dia Bell gets a major $220M comparison
Steve Sarkisian might need a velvet rope around his QB room because Dia Bell just added VIP status. He might be the future arm in Austin after Arch Manning. On the June 17 episode of the Adapt & Respond podcast, FOX Sports’ RJ Young lit the fire. “Dia Bell hasn’t played a whole lot of football,” he said. “But when he has been playing, Raja Bell’s kid has been absolutely throwing darts. Can he do it? I mean, this is a guy that people compare to Jordan Love—Green Day Packers’ Jordan Love, not necessarily Utah State Jordan Love.”
As one of the best QBs in the NFL, Love signed a $220M extension last offseason. And what makes Dia Bell’s rise more compelling is that he’s barely scratched the surface in terms of reps. Limited film, yet limitless projection. The kid’s a flamethrower and it’s why heavyweights like Alabama, Georgia, and LSU all wanted in before he chose burnt orange last summer.
Now, with the Elite 11 Finals honors, Dia Bell’s not just another name. He’s potentially the future face of Texas football. And Steve Sarkisian’s QB dynasty is officially rolling.
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