Cowboys Part Ways With 5-foot-5 Former Sixth Round Pick

The size wasn’t the issue for Dallas Cowboys running back Deuce Vaughn in the end — it was productivity.

After 2 disappointing seasons, the Cowboys released the 5-foot-5, 176-pound former Kansas State star and sixth round pick (No. 212 overall) in the 2023 NFL draft.

Vaughn was released just hours before the deadline on August 26 for NFL teams to cut rosters down to 53 players.

“The #Cowboys are waiving running back Deuce Vaughn, sources tell @CBSSports,” NFL reporter Matt Zenitz wrote on his official X account. “The former Kansas State All-American and 2023 sixth-round draft pick spent the last two seasons in Dallas. Ran for 42 yards in Dallas’ final preseason game.”

https://x.com/statsowar/status/1549762996926263296

Considering the current state of their running backs, Vaughn’s release seems to signal the Cowboys had totally given up on him.

Rookie running back Phil Mafah is starting the season on injured reserve, rookie running back and possible starter Jaydon Blue is dealing with an ankle injury and free agent running back Miles Sanders is dealing with shoulder and knee injuries

“Drafting Deuce Vaughn was fine,” Cowboys podcaster Dan Rogers wrote on his official X account “His college tape was impressive. Making the team in 2023 was questionable at the very least. Making the team in 2024 was complete negligence. Making the team this year would be insanity. Please. Move. On.”

Writing On The Wall For Vaughn In Offseason

The Dallas Morning News singled Vaughn out after minicamp as a player who didn’t seem to have a fit with the Cowboys in 2025 and was likely down to his last chance.

“Vaughn is fighting to get on the field,” DMN’s Calvin Watkins wrote on June 16. “Vaughn, if you remember, was the feel-good story of the 2023 draft when picked in the sixth round out of Kansas State. He’s played in 14 games since. His father is Chris Vaughn, the Cowboys’ assistant director of college scouting. You can debate whether the Cowboys did this as a favor to Chris, but Deuce hasn’t been given an easy road to earn roster spots. He’s also understanding of the critiques of that. In some ways you can compare it to Bronny James, LeBron James’ son whom the Lakers drafted in the second round last year.”

NFL Struggles After Star Making Turn in Manhattan

Vaughn was one of the nation’s best running backs for Kansas State from 2020 to 2022. In 3 seasons, Vaughn put up 4,854 yards of total offense and 43 total touchdowns, including 3,640 rushing yards.

The Cowboys drafted Vaughn in the sixth round (No. 211 overall) despite some red flags in the scouting process — his size and a less than stellar 40-yard dash time of 4.56 seconds.

Through his first 2 seasons, Vaughn had just 40 carries for 110 yards and no touchdowns.

The Cowboys made it really clear what they thought of Vaughn and the rest of the running backs on the roster after the 2024 season   That meant signing 2 free agents in Sanders and Javonte Williams and 2 late round draft picks in Mafah and Blue.

NFL.com’s Chad Reuter put Blue at No. 1 on his list of Day 3 picks who could compete for starter snaps in 2025.