The Dallas Cowboys fanbase is completely, unabashedly enamored with rookie RB Deuce Vaughn after one preseason game.
The Dallas Cowboys won 12 games last season and finished second in the competitive NFC East. Now, the goal is to topple Philadelphia and win the NFC, then the Super Bowl. That's a steep mountain to climb, and it will take a complete team effort.
It starts in the preseason. While the outcomes of preseason games matter little, the process is valuable. It allows the coaching staff to test out plays and personnel groups. It gives the front office a sense of which players can stick, and which are expendable.
Dallas spent Saturday afternoon battling the Jacksonville Jaguars. One player stood out above the rest — rookie RB Deuce Vaughn, who won over the fanbase with a single highlight.
Deuce Vaughn electrifies with monster run in Dallas Cowboys debut
Now, one highlight run in the third quarter of a preseason game does not make a career. Vaughn will have to continue proving himself throughout the preseason and into the regular season, when his snaps will be heavily limited.
The Cowboys recently received positive news on the Tony Pollard injury front and the expectation is that Vaughn will start the season fourth in the Cowboys RB depth chart behind Pollard, Malik Davis, and (the briefly suspended) Ronald Jones.
Even if Vaughn's snaps are marginalized early in the season, that doesn't mean he can't or won't earn more touches as the year progresses. We have seen more and more late-round picks break into prominence at the RB position. Isiah Pacheco with Kansas City last season is a prime example. Vaughn occupies arguably the most fluid and interchangeable major skill position in football. The Cowboys have made little ground on Pollard contract negotiations and, with the fluctuating financial market for RBs, it may be smart to invest in the young, affordable Vaughn.
Vaughn is a natural fan favorite because of his diminutive stature. Listed at 5-foot-6 and 176 pounds, he's a complete phantom in the open field, shooting through tiny gaps and using his explosive first step to leave defenders in the dust. There aren't many professional players his size, but Vaughn has always used that to his advantage. He embraces the physical side of the game and he's a versatile weapon. At Kansas State, he was frequently deployed in the pass game and the Cowboys appear ready to utilize him similarly in Dallas (three receptions vs. Jacksonville).
At Kansas State, Vaughn averaged 5.5 yards per rush and 11.0 yards per catch. He's an explosive playmaker who overcame the stigma of his small frame to become an NFL draftee. Dallas fans are understandably excited to see him on the field and getting significant burn.