Clemson basketball standout Ian Schieffelin joins football team
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney announced Friday that basketball forward Ian Schieffelin will join the Tigers football team for the upcoming season.
The 6-foot-8 Schieffelin will delay his professional basketball aspirations to remain at Clemson and try his hand at football.
“I’ve been just training for basketball, getting ready for the next level,” Schieffelin told ESPN. “Dabo just walked me through the opportunity he was willing to give me, and it all sounded great, something I wanted to jump on. It really just sparked my interest in wanting to try, and being able to put on a Clemson jersey again was very enticing to me. To be able to be coached by Dabo and [tight ends coach Kyle] Richardson is just a huge opportunity I couldn’t pass up.”
Schieffelin averaged 12.4 points and 9.4 rebounds per game for the Clemson basketball team during the 2024-25 season.
The Tigers have an opening at tight end after Jake Bringingstool signed with the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent following last season.
“He has elite football measurables that I believe will translate well,” Swinney told ESPN. “I’m looking forward to helping him transition and build a football foundation that will give him a chance to not only help us at Clemson but also give him a chance to play pro football. It should be fun.”
Schieffelin played quarterback in ninth grade before focusing exclusively on basketball.
Before making his decision, he consulted with Indianapolis Colts tight end Mo Alie-Cox, who followed a similar path after playing four years of basketball at VCU.
“We talked about what went into his decision to go the football route,” Schieffelin said. “He helped me just knowing why he decided, and it made me decide to just give it a chance and see where I could take it.”
The move follows the path of other basketball-to-football converts like Antonio Gates, who went from Kent State basketball to the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a San Diego Chargers tight end.
“Maybe I’ll be really good, maybe I’ll be really bad,” Schieffelin told ESPN. “It’s something that was worth a shot. And being able to put a Clemson jersey on again is really special to me, and to do it this time in Death Valley is going to be amazing.”
