Many stood out, but only one stole the show during the Dallas Cowboys’ preseason opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars Saturday. That turned out to be rookie running back Deuce Vaughn, the sixth-round pick out of Kansas State.
Vaughn, standing at 5-foot-5 and 180 pounds, scampered his way to 50 yards on eight carries and a score, showing off the shiftiness which made him a standout with the Wildcats. His four-yard touchdown run to give Dallas a 16-14 lead in the fourth quarter resulted in “Deuce” chants from the crowd at AT&T Stadium.
“It’s hard to put into words, man,” Vaughn said after the game, via the team’s website. “I can’t take all of the credit, all of those guys up front were blocking their butts off all game. To get in the end zone in the first preseason game, it’s a testament to all of the work that’s been put in since pre-draft.”
Doubted during the pre-draft process due to his short stature, Vaughn proved not only that he can hang, but that he can thrive in the NFL. That doesn’t mean, however, that the work lets up. It’s only the beginning for Vaughn, who is looking to claim the backup running back spot behind Tony Pollard.
“Just that I belong,” Vaughn said of what he proved against Jacksonville. “I feel like that’s the biggest thing for me coming in, just proving the people that believe in me right. It doesn’t stop now. We go back to work Monday and into the next preseason game.”
Deuce Vaughn building confidence as he enters rookie season
In addition to proving he belonged, Vaughn gained loads of confidence which will only help him as he gets acclimated to the NFL.
“A lot of confidence,” Vaughn said. “It’s a question mark coming in when you’re about to play your first NFL game. It’s not college, you wonder if you can go to the speed and be successful. It gives me a lot of confidence, but also understanding that this is just a preseason game.”
Vaughn gained approval from the coaching staff, including head coach Mike McCarthy. He called Vaughn’s debut a “great introduction to the NFL.”
“He rolled in there and ran conceptually everything that the other guys ran, too,” McCarthy said. “I think that speaks volumes about him. I thought he had a heck of a night. Great introduction to the NFL.”
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