CLEMSON — Tristan Smith’s quest for another tear of eligibility continues on.

After having his waiver for another year denied by the NCAA, Smith filed suit in Pickens County in January, but his case won’t be heard until June. Until then, Smith soldiers on.

With spring practice beginning on Wednesday, Smith is allowed to practice and take part in all team activities until his case is heard.

“He can do everything,” head coach Dabo Swinney said. “We won’t know until June. He is able to do everything until then.”

If his suit is not successful, Smith will have two options. He could choose to pursue an NFL career through the supplemental draft, or he could choose to stay in Clemson and finish his degree, while working as a student coach. The latter would allow him to continue to train and prepare for the NFL Combine in 2027.

“He will really have two options,” Swinney added. “If it doesn’t go his way, he can probably try to go through the NFL process, or he can stay here and flip over to the Tiger Trust because he still needs to graduate. He could still train and be a student coach and then try and get ready for the combine. That is really where we are.”

Smith spent the first two seasons of his career at the JUCO level, and he argues that the NCAA has applied the waiver system inconsistently, citing Vanderbilt and Diego Pavia as one example. Pavia was granted an extra year due to having played at the JUCO level. The suit claims he could earn between $300,000 and $600,000 in NIL and marketing opportunities, plus potential revenue share if eligible to play this fall.

During his first season at Clemson, the 6-foot-5 wideout totaled 24 catches for 239 yards and a touchdown for the Tigers.

“Hopefully, it will go his way,” Swinney said. “Especially when you look around the country and see some of the decisions that get made compared to his situation.”