High School

Texas commit, son of NBA star throws 80-yard touchdown pass on first play

Andrew Nemec

American Heritage quarterback Dia Bell throwing against Milton defense
American Heritage quarterback Dia Bell throwing against Milton defense / Matt Christopher

Well, that didn't take long.

When watching top prospects on Friday night it's always interesting to see how quickly they stand out for their team.

When do they make a splash play? How quickly will they make their mark in a game?

For American Heritage (Florida) star and Texas Longhorns commit Dia Bell there wasn't much of a wait.

On the first play from scrimmage, the son of former NBA star Raja Bell connected with class of 2026 four-star wide receiver Brandon Bennett for an 80-yard touchdown strike:

Adding to the lead early, Bell punched in a short touchdown run and threw another long touchdown - this one 70 yards - all in the first quarter.

Bell is rated the nation's No. 11 overall prospect and No. 3 quarterback in the class of 2025.

He committed to Texas in June, choosing the Longhorns over more than 35 offers, highlighted by Auburn, Florida, Florida State, LSU, Miami, Nebraska, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Tennessee, Washington and others.

>>> Dia Bell scratching the surface of greatness

As for Bennett, Bell's star pass-catcher is rated as highly as the nation's No. 63 overall prospect by On3 and he holds more than 20 scholarship offers in his own right.

Clearly, Texas has a great one on the way in Bell - and who knows? Maybe the two will continue the connection in Austin in future years.

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Andrew Nemec

ANDREW NEMEC

Andrew Nemec covers national high school recruiting and brings more than a decade of experience. Andrew hosts "Recruiting with Andrew Nemec" on ESPN-affiliate 1080 The FAN in Portland, Oregon. He holds a journalism degree from the University of Oregon.

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