2026 QB Dia Bell Grateful for Notre Dame Making Trip to South Florida
2026 American Heritage (Fla.) quarterback Dia Bell is a familiar name for most followers of Notre Dame recruiting.
The 6-foot-3, 200-pounder has camped at Notre Dame the last two summers and visited for a game, but on Wednesday, Gino Guidugli made the trip to South Florida for Bell.
Guidugli took in an American Heritage practice to watch Bell throw and the four-star prospect appreciated the opportunity to show off his talents once again for Notre Dame.
“It meant a lot,” Bell told ISD. “I’ve been up there a couple times before and I have a couple buddies committed there, so I know the place well. I know the guys who are going there and the talent they have now is something special. I’m happy Guidguli came down to see me practice and thinks I could possibly be a part of that.”
Now, Guidugli worked Bell out last summer, but this trip was to get film for offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock. The two caught up on the phone following practice and Bell appreciated the message from Guidugli.
“He gave me really good feedback,” Bell explained. “It wasn’t as much for him to see me throw again because he knew my ability because I’ve been up to camp before with him. He said he saw me make all the throws when I camped and he just needed to take the videos back so I can be evaluated more.”
Bell threw for 1,929 yards, 20 touchdowns and just four interceptions in his first year as the starter for American Heritage last fall. The efficient play has led him to earn almost 40 offers.
The rise to the spotlight hasn't been too big for Bell, which isn’t surprising as he grew up watching his father, Raja, handle the bright lights of the NBA.
“Growing up, if you would have asked me if I would be this highly recruited, I would have said no,” Bell stated. “My dad always told me to keep working, keep my head down, stay humble and I could do whatever I put my mind to. It’s been cool to go through these experiences and soak it all up.
“I’m keeping the main thing the main thing. It’s about winning games in high school and hopefully winning the state championship this year.”
Bell’s comfort level and confidence have skyrocketed in the last eight months, as he now has a year of starting under his belt. In addition to his stats, Bell led the Patriots to a record of 10-2 before falling to Berkeley Prep in the state playoffs.
“I’ve actually talked to Coach Guidugli about it as it pertains to growth for me,” explained Bell. “I took a lot of big steps playing on the schedule and level we do at American Heritage. I took a step into a faster pace and it slowed down as the year went on because I became more comfortable with how everything looked. I was advancing in pre-snap looks and stuff like that. Getting that experience was a really big step for me.”
And regarding potentially getting an offer from Notre Dame, Bell wants it because it would provide an opportunity to play with long-time family friends.
“I grew up with the Faisons my whole life,” said Bell. “That would be an experience, to say the least, if I could play with my childhood friends. Jordan and Dylan have said nothing but great things about Notre Dame.”
Bell Offers: Arizona, Arkansas, Auburn, BYU, Campbell, UCF, Colorado, Florida, Florida A&M, FIU, Houston, Indiana, Louisville, LSU, Miami, Mississippi State, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, Pitt, Purdue, SMU, South Florida, Syracuse, TCU, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vanderbilt, Virginia Tech, Washington, West Virginia, Western Carolina, Western Michigan and Wisconsin
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