Dallas Cowboys running back Deuce Vaughn (42) Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Watch: Cowboys WR roasts diminutive Deuce Vaughn

In the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, Dallas Cowboys assistant director of college scouting Chris Vaughn had the pleasure drafting his son, Deuce. 

Deuce, who became the shortest player ever to participate in the NFL Combine this year, has hit the ground running this preseason, earning attention for blocking players much bigger and for his shiftiness

But neither early success nor a father who works for the team can save a rookie from a little hazing, as Cowboys star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb reminded Deuce via his Instagram story. 

"Deuce, stop leaving your cleats and your gloves in the locker room," Lamb chided. "This is not your home!"

Vaughn (measured at 5-foot-5 and 179 pounds at the Combine) may be the butt of jokes now, but he could be the one laughing after his rookie season.

In his final year at Kansas State, he led the team with 1,558 rushing yards, added another 378 receiving and had 12 TDs from scrimmage. He was also a key reason for the Wildcats' upset of College Football Playoff participant TCU in the Big 12 Championship game (in Deuce's new home AT&T Stadium), running for 130 yards and scoring TDs rushing and receiving. 

He's proven he can succeed on the big stage and against top competition, and continues to do so this preseason, going viral on social media for multiple slick moves and broken tackles. 

He plays for a team that should have touches available for him. Ezekiel Elliott, a longtime Cowboy, is in New England, so Tony Pollard is the undisputed No. 1 back in Dallas. But behind Pollard, who is returning from broken leg suffered in the playoffs, there are mostly questions. 

Veteran Ronald Jones signed with Dallas this offseason. Jones, along with little-used Rico Dowdle (zero carries for Dallas in 2022) and Malik Davis (161 yards on 28 carries for Dallas last season), are Vaughn's competition for touches. 

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