Arch Manning's successor Dia Bell shares candid reaction as Texas snags 5-star defensive weapon from Kirby Smart's Georgia

Five-star quarterback Dia Bell was the first player to commit to Texas' 2026 class. Despite push from other top schools, the American Heritage (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) standout remained loyal to the Longhorns, who are now on a roll with a string of recruiting victories.

On Tuesday, Texas secured the commitment of Georgia native and five-star linebacker Tyler Atkinson. Just hours after that, Steve Sarkisian's program ensured another big win by flipping five-star defensive lineman James Johnson from Georgia, who had been committed to the Bulldogs since June 28.

Following these consecutive wins on the recruiting trail, Bell expressed his excitement on X, writing:

"Yessir and still not done! Welcome home @JamesJohnson_52 🤘🏽 #HookEm #AllGas26 FL➡️TX."

Johnson is the No. 69 player in the 2026 class, the No. 8 defensive lineman and the No. 10 player in Florida, according to the 247Sports Composite Ranking. In an interview with Rivals, the Miami native opened up about his commitment to Texas, saying:

“Hook Em. I have committed to Texas. Ever since my first visit to the University of Texas, I had a feeling deep down that it was where I truly belonged — even though I couldn’t fully explain it at the time. "Coach Sark is building a top program. They know how to recruit, they win a lot of games and they develop players at Texas.”

Dia Bell leads the class that includes four other five-star talents besides him: Atkinson, Richard Wesley, James Johnson and Jermaine Bishop Jr.

Dia Bell's father pens heartfelt message following son's ranking surge

Dia Bell is the son of former NBA star Raja Bell, who was twice named to the NBA All-Defensive Team. Dia is following in his father's athletic footsteps and has also established himself as the perfect successor for Arch Manning.

In the latest Rivals rankings, Bell is recognized as the No. 1 quarterback in the country and holds the No. 2 overall spot in the 2026 class, just behind Miami offensive tackle commit Jackson Cantwell.

After Dia’s big accomplishment, Raja shared an emotional message on X, writing:

"As always @DiaBell3QB1 So proud of u! This is so cool, but its just the beginning. Now u have to work harder! Stay humble, stay hungry, B appreciative and thankful. Give back. NEVER lose ur focus on the main goal. LOVE the process not the results my boy! I Love U 🤘🏾#HookEm."

As a junior in the 2026 season, Bell threw for 2,597 yards and 29 touchdowns, while completing 70.6% of his passes.

Edited by Krutik Jain