The headline in the Dallas drafting of sixth-round running back Deuce Vaughn was that his father, Chris, works as the team’s assistant director of college scouting. The story might be that the Cowboys have found themselves a player who can really contribute.
Appearing earlier this week on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas, Cowboys V.P. of player personnel Will McClay said that Vaughn can become a three-down back for the ‘Boys.
“The number one thing is, you know, getting a hell of a football player and in a safe game, guys that can win in space and create their own space and do explosive things, Deuce has done that ever since he’s been in high school, and probably before that,” McClay said. “So getting him and adding him as a weapon was a huge deal.”
That’s a potentially significant development for Dallas. With Tony Pollard in a franchise-tag season that carries with it a 20-percent raise over his eight-figure salary in 2024 and with Ezekiel Elliott gone and likely not coming back, Vaughn has a chance to contribute.
Yes, he’s only five feet, five inches. But so what? For running backs, the low center of gravity becomes a bonus.
The challenge will be durability, since he’s only 179 pounds. He needs to avoid taking big hits. If he takes care of his body and if the Cowboys avoid pounding him into the middle of the line, he could be a nice piece of the puzzle in Dallas.