Earlier this spring, after former All-ACC forward Ian Schieffelin announced that he’d be trading in his sneakers for cleats and playing football instead of basketball during the 2025-26 academic year, most college football fans had the same question… so has this kid played football before?
The short, and relatively predictable answer to that question was yes, but it has taken a few weeks for a more detailed account of Schieffelin’s gridiron experience to come to light. In the end, it was former Clemson Tigers running back Phil Mafah, who was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2025 NFL Draft, who was able to shed light on Schieffelin’s football past.
It turns out, once upon a time, Schieffelin and Mafah were teammates at Grayson Middle School in Georgia, and apparently, one heck of a backfield duo.
“Honestly (Schieffelin) kind of reminded me of Phillip Rivers,” Mafah told Ashby Mixon of The Clemson Insider. “He was just that guy. He was chill, never got too high, never got too low. He was a great competitor.”
So great that Schieffelin and Mafah led Grayson Middle School to an undefeated record during the 2016 season. From there, Schieffelin set his sights solely on basketball, eventually enrolling at Clemson as a three-star recruit. Likewise, Mafah found his way to Clemson as well as a four-star prospect.
Schieffelin won’t be reliving his glory days as a quarterback for Clemson this season. The Tigers have a Cade Klubnik, a Heisman Trophy favorite and the potential 1st overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, back for his senior season, and Schieffelin, measuring at 6-foot-8, 240 lbs., is presently slated to suit up as a tight end for Dabo Swinney’s squad. Swinney, who is entering his 17th full season as the Tigers head coach, has a track record of turning basketball-first athletes into bonafide football stars, and he believes that his newest project could be the next in line.
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Phil Mafah too believes that his former teammate will find success on the football field as well.
I texted him and gave him my support because I grew up with him. I see the type of dude he is, the type of competitor he is. I told him ‘set your mind to it and I think you can do anything,’” Mafah told Mixon. “He has all the attributes to be a great athlete in whatever he chooses to do. The mindset, and the willingness and want to get better and continue to learn and grow, I believe he has that, and I believe that he can do whatever he puts his mind to.”
At the very least, Schieffelin will have the opportunity to earn playing time right away. Clemson will be without Jake Briningstool, who started at tight end and caught 99 passes for 1,028 yards and 12 touchdowns over the last two seasons.