Clemson hoops star Ian Schieffelin joins football team for 2025 season

Schieffelin has no more basketball eligibility, but NCAA rules will let him play football this fall.

Clemson's football program just picked up another recruit, this one from the school's basketball team. | Ken Ruinard/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

A basketball player at Clemson is moving over to the school’s football team, as Tigers star forward Ian Schieffelin will make the transition to the gridiron in 2025, he announced on Friday.

God Bless! pic.twitter.com/cflFFkGsnJ

— Ian Schieffelin (@ian_schieffelin) May 2, 2025

Schieffelin is coming off a banner season on the court, earning All-ACC honors while averaging 12.4 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game on Clemson’s school-record 27-win team.

The player exhausted his eligibility as a basketball player, but NCAA rules allow him to use another year of eligibility in a different Division I sport.

His decision came after a phone call he had with Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney.

“Dabo just walked me through the opportunity he was willing to give me, and it all sounded great, something I wanted to jump on,” Schieffelin told ESPN.

“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.”

Schieffelin will play at the tight end position for Clemson this season, filling a hole left by the departure of Jake Briningstool, who was second on the team with 49 catches last year.

Schieffelin doesn’t have a lot of football experience apart from playing quarterback early in his high school days.

“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.”

(ESPN)

--