Clemson Tigers Football’s Top Spring Transfer Portal Addition a Familiar One

The Clemson Tigers football team doesn’t use the transfer portal that much, but this offseason they dipped their toe in the water.

Clemson brought in three transfers during the winter cycle, but none in the spring.

So, when On3 Sports’ Pete Nakos ranked the top spring transfer portal addition for each Top 25 teams, he had to get creative and select former Tigers basketball star Ian Schieffelin.

The 6-foot-8 forward has one more year of college eligibility remaining after playing basketball and he’s chosen to give it a go at tight end for the Tigers. It’s a transition many college basketball players are making to try and move into the NFL.

Why Ian Schieffelin is Playing College Football

Schieffelin’s odds of an NBA career are long. Tight ends at his height and with his athleticism are hard to come by.

Football coach Dabo Swinney has a huge amount of respect for him and believes that Schieffelin can make an impact in just one year.

“You go over there, they are gonna forget about you forever,” Swinney when he pitched the idea to Schieffelin. “If you want to play football, you’ll be a national story.”

Nakos has the Tigers ranked No. 3 in the country right now, behind only Texas and Notre Dame.

Schieffelin played four seasons of basketball and was a significant contributor in his final two seasons. As a junior he helped the Tigers reach the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.

Last season, as a senior, he averaged 12.4 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. He shot nearly 50% from the free-throw line and 34.1% from the 3-point line.

Caleb Lohner, a forward for BYU and Baylor, transferred to Utah for his final season of college athletics and played tight end for the Utes. The Denver Broncos selected Lohner with a seventh-round pick.

It isn’t as if the Tigers ignored the transfer portal this time around. And Nakos didn’t ignore the additions made in the winter. But the article was about additions in the spring window.

The Tigers added three transfers during the winter cycle — linebacker Jeremiah Alexander from Alabama, edge rusher Will Heldt from Purdue and wide receiver Tristan Smith from Southeast Missouri State.

Alexander played three years of college football before arriving at Clemson and was credited with eight total tackles. Heldt had 56 total tackles and five sacks last season.

Smith was a second-team all-Missouri Valley Football Conference selection after he caught 76 passes for 934 yards and six touchdowns.