Ohio State Trying To 'Chip Away' At Flipping Texas Longhorns 5-Star

The Ohio State Buckeyes have their eyes set on trying to flip a prized Texas Longhorns five-star recruit.

Recruits Dia Bell and Byron Louis watch Ohio State warm up before playing Penn State at Ohio Stadium. | Lori Schmidt / Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

American Heritage (Fort Lauderdale, FL) five-star quarterback Dia Bell is the cornerstone of the 2026 recruiting class for Steve Sarkisian and the Texas Longhorns.

And now, one of the top programs in the country is reportedly being relentless in their attempts to pry him away from Austin.

According to 247Sports Analyst Tom Loy, Ohio State is chipping away at Bell in an attempt to get him to flip from the Longhorns to the Buckeyes.

American Heritage Patriots quarterback Dia Bell scrambles in the backfield during the first quarter of a game | Jonah Hinebaugh/Naples Daily News/USA Today Network-Florida / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Fortunately for the Longhorns, it appears that they have a sizable lead.

"It's going to take a lot to flip him from the Longhorns, but the Buckeyes continue to try and chip away," Loy said.

Bell has also not revealed any intentions to take additional official visits to other programs as of yet, and is locked in with Texas.

"As of right now, I don’t have any plans to visit anyone else besides the University of Texas," Bell told On3 in March.

A product of American Heritage High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Bell is a five-star in On3 and 247Sports’ composite rankings. Last season, he threw for 2,597 yards and 29 touchdowns with six interceptions, while rushing for 561 yards and five more scores before suffering a season-ending injury. As a result of that production, he was named the Gatorade Player of the Year in Florida.

Bell ranks as a five-star recruit, the No. 4 overall player, the No. 2 QB in the nation and the No. 1 player in Florida, per On3.

As such, Bell is obviously one of the most pursued players in the nation, regardless of position, and heard from a litany of programs including Penn State, LSU, Miami, Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Tennessee, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Ohio State, among others.

However, according to Bell, his heart remains with the Longhorns.

"I still take their calls," Bell told 247Sports this spring. "I like to hear what they have to say because, in the world we live in, college football coaches can end up anywhere the next day. So I have to make sure I keep in contact with those coaches in case anything goes sideways, but my heart is in Texas and it will be as long as coach (Sarkisian) and (AJ Milwee) are there."