One Dallas Cowboys draft pick is getting a chance to reboot his career with a Super Bowl contender.
“Texans plan to sign former Cowboys and (Kansas State) running back Deuce Vaughn after a successful workout that included Blake Watson and Jordan Mims, per a league source Vaughn (5-foot-6, 185 pounds) is a Round Rock native who’s a former Cowboys sixth round pick who has rushed for 110 career yards on 40 runs with 10 catches for 58 yards and has also returned punts,” NFL reporter Aaron Wilson wrote on his official X account on Sunday. “Has played for the Broncos and Orlando Storm. He’s a former consensus All-American and All-Big 12 and Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year.”
The Cowboys waived Vaughn as part of their final roster cuts before the 2025 season. He signed with the Broncos in January and was waived in May.
The Texans have made the playoffs for 3 consecutive seasons, losing in the AFC Divisional Round each year, and have what’s considered to be the NFL’s best defense.
Deuce Vaughn Made NFL History in 2023
In 2023, Vaughn made history as the shortest running back ever taken in the NFL draft.
The writing was on the wall for Vaughn in Dallas after 2 seasons — and after the Cowboys used 2 draft picks in 2025 on running backs with Phil Mafah and Jaydon Blue.
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 with the franchise.
“Vaughn is fighting to get on the field,” DMN’s Calvin Watkins wrote in June 2025. “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.”
Vaughn Became Household Name at Kansas State
Vaughn was one of the nation’s best running backs at 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.
Through his first 3 seasons in the NFL, Vaughn has just 40 carries for 110 yards and no touchdowns.
While Vaughn was on the roster for the UFL’s Orlando Storm in 2026, he doesn’t appear to have registered any statistics.
Former Cowboys RB Deuce Vaughn Signs With Super Bowl Contender