Last night, the first week of high school football began across the country and two players from Texas were able to showcase their talent. 2025 Saraland (Alabama) QB KJ Lacey and 2026 Fort Lauderdale (Florida) American Heritage QB Dia Bell showed characteristics and skills that showed why Steve Sarkisian chose them as his signalers of the future.
(Sign up for Inside Texas and get the BEST Longhorns news!)
Let’s start with Lacey.
As you can see, Lacey is able to avoid the rush, not panic, and get out of the pocket while keeping his eyes on the field to deliver an accurate throw for a touchdown. His ability to extend plays and improvise makes him very dangerous outside of the pocket.
Lacey appears very relaxed and composed when throwing from the pocket. He is also able to avoid the rush and move in the pocket to throw the football. You can tell he is in complete control of the offense.
Lacey threw for 317 yards and four touchdowns in a win over one of Alabama’s top teams. Ryan Williams is no longer on his team, so Lacey proves that any doubts about his ability to excel without a five-star receiver are likely unfounded.
In Georgia, Bell showed on national television why he is one of the best quarterbacks in the country in his class.
In both clips, Bell is seen dodging the rush. In one, he steps up and throws the ball to a receiver, and in the other, he shows off his athleticism with the ability to leap and run. Although American Heritage lost Milton Bell had a strong performance on ESPN.
(Subscribe to the Inside Texas YouTube channel and help us reach 10,000 subscribers!)
Both guys have a lot in common. They are very confident in the pocket and have their offense completely under control. The two QBs are both able to come out of the pocket and extend plays while throwing an accurate pass. The best thing they have in common is that they are both loyal to Texas.
