'I Belong!' Cowboys' Little Deuce Vaughn Delivers Big Preseason Message
Deuce Vaughn took the handoff, paused, and then took off through a hole on the right side of the Dallas Cowboys' offensive line.
Vaughn, the sixth-round rookie running back out of Kansas State, exploded into the second level, and then the third, before shaking a Jacksonville Jaguars safety in space, ultimately forcing two defenders to collide while he kept motoring into the distance.
This was just one of several highlight plays made by Vaughn, who debuted in the second half of the Cowboys' 28-23 loss to the Jaguars in the preseason opener at AT&T Stadium on Saturday night.
In his first taste of NFL action, Vaughn was Dallas' leading rusher, taking eight carries for 50 yards and a touchdown while adding three receptions for six yards.
The 5-6, 176-pound Vaughn noted after the game that he wanted a few plays back, but he departed the field with a sense of belief that he's ready to play at the sport's highest level.
"Just that I belong," Vaughn said, of what he proved against Jacksonville. "I feel like that's the biggest thing for me coming in, just proving the people that believe in me right. It doesn't stop now. We go back to work Monday and into the next preseason game."
When Vaughn arrives back on the Oxnard practice field this week, he'll do so with more pep in his step, armed with the knowledge that what worked in his star-studded college career translates to the professional level.
"A lot of confidence," said Vaughn, on what he gained. "It's a question mark coming in when you're about to play your first NFL game. It's not college, you wonder if you can go to the speed and be successful. It gives me a lot of confidence, but also understanding that this is just a preseason game."
Deuce, the 21-year-old son of Cowboys assistant director of college scouting Chris Vaughn, made sure to give credit to the offensive line in front of him for paving the way throughout the game, another confidence-inspiring aspect.
But perhaps most importantly, Vaughn has the self-assurance that his process, dating back to spring workouts in advance of the draft, works - and his efforts paid off in a big way on Saturday night.
"It's hard to put into words, man," Vaughn said. "To get in the end zone in the first preseason game, it's a testament to all of the work that's been put in since pre-draft."
The next mission for Vaughn is winning the Cowboys' No. 2 running back spot behind Tony Pollard, a competition that's likely to run throughout the remainder of the preseason.
But if Vaughn continues to open eyes in Dallas' final two exhibition affairs, he'll certainly have a chance ... and now, carrying greater confidence and belief than ever before, is ready to reach a new level when the Cowboys take the field against the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday night.
You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter @ByDanielFlick
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