Ohio State Football: 2026 QB recruiting starting to heat up

The Ohio State football team and head coach Ryan Day are trying to zero in on their top 2026 quarterback targets. With local five-star talent Tavien St. Clair already locked in for the 2025 class, Day and new offensive coordinator/QB coach Chip Kelly have laid the groundwork for the next class.

At the top of that list is a recently offered recruit, Dia Bell, of American Heritage High School in Florida. While not ranked yet in the 247 Sports rankings, Bell is picking up a number of top offers from the likes of Texas, LSU, Penn State, Wisconsin, Auburn, Florida, and Washington. Now with a Buckeye offer in hand, Bell has already made his third trip to Columbus last week. Bell is 6-2, 195 pounds and is also a coveted basketball prospect as well.

Bell joins a list that includes four-star quarterbacks Brady Smigiel, Jared Curtis, and Will Griffin who have received Ohio State offers. Of that list, only one player is currently committed elsewhere and that's Curtis, who committed to Georgia over the weekend.

You also may have heard of Bell's father, Raja Bell, who was a long-time NBA basketball player.

While this list is not particularly long, the Ohio State football program is beginning to zero in on their 2026 QB. Ryan Day has said numerous times that he likes to get at least one quarterback in every class. And with the QB room completely filled at the moment, and St. Clair on his way next Spring, Ohio State can take their time in choosing who best fits their room.

Dia Bell has to be considered a legitimate front-runner for Ohio State, with him already making three visits to campus. There most certainly has to be high interest in both parties for that to occur before the start of Bell's junior season.