The Texas Longhorns and head coach Steve Sarkisian were able to land an elite quarterback talent in the 2026 recruiting class in the form of Dia Bell.
Bell, a five-star quarterback from Fort Lauderdale, Florida and the son of former NBA player Raja Bell, is expected to be the heir apparent at Texas behind Arch Manning. When Manning goes pro, likely following the 2026 college football season, Bell will have a good chance to take over his job.
According to 247 Sports, Bell is ranked as the No. 4 quarterback in the 2026 recruiting class. He is also ranked the No. 27 overall player in the nation and No. 3 in the state of Florida.
With that being said, fans are wondering what they can expect from Bell. An scouting expert has revealed an extremely intriguing comparison for him.
Texas Incoming Freshman QB Dia Bell Lands Dynamic Comparison
Andrew Ivins of 247 Sports has compared Bell to current Oregon Ducks star quarterback Dante Moore.
Of course, Moore made a surprising decision to return to college for one more season. He was being projected to be the likely No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft by the New York Jets before making that decision.
During his senior year of high school, Bell was only able to play in two games before going down with a season-ending injury. He completed 43 of his 68 pass attempts for 540 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions. In addition, he ran for 98 yards.
If he can live up to the comparison of Moore, the Longhorns have a star in the making.
Along with comparing him to Moore, Ivins provided his belief that Bell could use a year or two to develop before playing. However, he thinks the young quarterback could be ready early in his college career.
“Would benefit from a developmental year or two, but arm talent and processing power could have him in the mix rather early,” Ivins wrote.
Where Do the Longhorns Rank Among All Teams for Their 2026 Class?
Sarkisian has done an excellent job of recruiting talent to Texas. He has been able to put together a program that should be a legitimate National Championship contender year after year.
Currently, the Longhorns rank No. 8 in the nation for their 2026 recruiting class. They trail the Tennessee Volunteers, Georgia Bulldogs, Ohio State Buckeyes, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Alabama Crimson Tide, Oregon Ducks, and USC Trojans.
On the outside looking in, Texas should continue to be elite moving forward. Manning is expected to have a much bigger 2026 season than he did in 2025. After his college career comes to an end, the Longhorns will be in good hands with Bell.
Expect to hear a lot of talk about Bell throughout next season. He seems to be a star in the making and this comparison from Ivins provides more fuel to the hype fire.
Texas Freshman Phenom QB Dia Bell Lands Dynamic Comparison