Deuce Vaughn: From College Standout to NFL Hopeful
Christopher "Deuce" Vaughn II, born on November 2, 2001, is an American professional football running back who currently plays for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). Vaughn's journey to the NFL was paved with remarkable achievements, particularly during his college career with the Kansas State Wildcats. This article delves into Vaughn's college statistics, his career highlights, and his transition to professional football.
High School Foundation
Before his collegiate success, Vaughn established himself as a dominant force at Cedar Ridge High School. As a senior, he broke the school's single-season rushing record with an impressive 1,938 yards, complemented by 589 receiving yards and 25 touchdowns. By the end of his high school career, Vaughn had accumulated 4,405 rushing yards and 38 rushing touchdowns, along with 914 receiving yards and 11 receiving touchdowns. His versatility extended to special teams, where he added 153 return yards, culminating in a total of 5,472 all-purpose yards. Vaughn's performance made him a sought-after recruit, ultimately leading him to accept a football scholarship from Kansas State University. Football is in his DNA. Vaughn' father coached college football and his family moved frequently. Deuce Vaughn's family settled in Round Rock, Texas where he attended Cedar Ridge High School. During his senior season, he broke the single season rushing record.
Collegiate Career at Kansas State
Vaughn's impact was immediate upon arriving at Kansas State. He started as a freshman and topped over 100 rushing yards 3 times through his first year. His excellence as a kick returner also garnered more work for him out of the backfield. Vaughn was named the Big 12 Comnference Offensive Player of the Year. In his sophomore campaign, he improved on his stellar freshman year as he rushed over 100 yards 9 of the 13 games he played. His highlights from that season include an absolute smackdown of Kansas, wher he averaged 14.7 YPC on only 11 carries. Vaughn showed no signs of stopping as he posted another 9 games in which he had over 100 rushing yards.
Sophomore Surge
Vaughn entered his sophomore season on the watch list for the Doak Walker Award. He tallied 235 carries for 1,404 yards (6-yard avg.), 18 rushing touchdowns, 49 receptions for 468 yards (9-yard avg.) and four receiving touchdowns. He had 147 rushing yards and a touchdown in the regular-season finale against the Kansas.
Junior Year Dominance
As a junior, he collected 1,901 rushing yards, 21 rushing touchdowns, 9 receptions, 159 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown.
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Overall College Statistics
He finished his college career with 651 carries (second in school history), 3,604 rushing yards (second in school history), a 5.5-yard average, and 34 rushing touchdowns. He also recorded twenty one 100-yard rushing games (second in school history), 116 receptions for 1,280 yards (11-yard avg.), and 9 receiving touchdowns. In addition, he had 7 kickoff returns for 145 yards (20.7-yard avg.), 5,029 all-purpose yards (third in school history), 258 points scored (sixth in school history) and 279 rushing yards in bowl games (school record). Vaughn was one of just two Big 12 players to ever register 3,600 rushing yards and 1,250 receiving yards in a career (DeMarco Murray).
NFL Draft and Early Career
Vaughn was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the sixth round (212th overall) of the 2023 NFL draft. His father, who is a scout for the Cowboys, called Vaughn to tell him he had been drafted. With a measurement at the combine of 5'5", Vaughn became the shortest running back ever drafted since the NFL began tracking the combine.
Dallas Cowboys
On January 3, 2024, he was placed on the reserve/injured list with an ankle injury. He appeared in 7 games as a third-string running back, compiling 23 rushes for 40 yards, 7 receptions for 40 yards and 4 punt returns for 19 yards. He was declared inactive in 9 games. On January 5, 2025, Vaughn rushed six times for a career-high 37 yards. In 2024, he appeared in 8 games as a backup running back and was declared inactive in 9 games.
Denver Broncos
After his time with the Cowboys, Vaughn was signed to the Denver Broncos practice squad.
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