Deuce Vaughn Bio
Christopher Deuce Vaughn II, known professionally as Deuce Vaughn, is an American professional football running back. He currently plays for the Orlando Storm of the United Football League (UFL). Vaughn first rose to national attention as a record-setting running back for the Kansas State Wildcats before being selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL draft. He is widely recognized as the shortest running back ever drafted since the NFL began tracking the scouting combine.
Early Life and Background
Christopher Deuce Vaughn II was born on November 2, 2001, in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Because his father worked as a college football coach, Vaughn moved frequently during his childhood before his family eventually settled in Round Rock, Texas. He attended Cedar Ridge High School, where he played both football and ran track. The constant relocations and his father’s coaching background helped shape Vaughn’s early understanding of the game and his competitive mindset.
At Cedar Ridge, Vaughn developed into one of the most productive running backs in Texas high school football. As a junior, he collected 1,901 rushing yards and 21 rushing touchdowns, adding 9 receptions for 159 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown, and earned honorable-mention all-state honors from the Texas Sports Writers Association. During his senior season, he broke the school’s single-season rushing record with 1,938 yards, while adding 589 receiving yards and 25 total touchdowns, including a 375-yard game against Round Rock High School and a 302-yard, five-touchdown performance against Westwood High School. He finished his high school career with 4,405 rushing yards, 38 rushing touchdowns, 914 receiving yards, 11 receiving touchdowns, and 5,472 all-purpose yards, and was named District 13-6A Offensive MVP for the second straight year.
Path to American Football
Despite his small stature, Vaughn was rated a 3-star recruit and received multiple scholarship offers from programs such as Air Force, Arkansas, Army, Kansas, Missouri, North Texas, South Florida, UTSA, and Wyoming, with preferred walk-on offers from Baylor, Oklahoma State, New Mexico, Texas Christian, and Virginia Tech. He accepted a football scholarship from Kansas State University, where he was expected to compete for carries early in his college career.
Vaughn quickly won the starting running back job as a true freshman and went on to become one of the most decorated players in Kansas State history. Across three college seasons, he built a résumé that included All-American honors, multiple all-conference selections, and a long list of school records. By the time he declared for the 2023 NFL draft, he had established himself as one of the most productive dual-threat running backs in Big 12 Conference history.
Deuce Vaughn Career
Early Career (2020)
Vaughn’s first season at Kansas State arrived in 2020, and he made an immediate impact. He became the Wildcats’ starter early in the year and posted three 100-yard rushing games, against Texas Tech, Baylor, and Texas, while also delivering a 129-yard receiving performance against Oklahoma. He finished the year with 123 carries for 642 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns, adding 25 receptions for 434 yards and two receiving touchdowns, along with seven kickoff returns for 145 yards.
His freshman production earned him Big 12 Conference Offensive Freshman of the Year honors and a second-team All-Big 12 selection, signaling his arrival as a future star at the college level.
Kansas State Wildcats Breakthrough (2021)
As a sophomore in 2021, Vaughn entered the season on the Doak Walker Award watch list. He totaled 235 carries for 1,404 yards and 18 rushing touchdowns, while adding 49 receptions for 468 yards and four receiving touchdowns, producing nine 100-yard rushing games and one 100-yard receiving game. He recorded a career-high 162 rushing yards with three rushing touchdowns, including an 80-yard touchdown run against Kansas, and added 146 rushing yards with three rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdown in the 2022 Texas Bowl 42–20 win over LSU. He was recognized as a Consensus All-American for his work that season.
Kansas State Wildcats Senior Season (2022)
In his junior year, Vaughn recorded 293 carries for 1,558 yards and nine rushing touchdowns, with 42 receptions for 378 yards and three receiving touchdowns, totaling 1,936 all-purpose yards. He became the third player in school history with multiple 1,000-yard rushing seasons and the first Kansas State player with both 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in a career. He had 147 rushing yards and a touchdown in the regular-season finale against Kansas, 130 rushing yards and a touchdown in the Big 12 Championship Game 31–28 overtime win over TCU, and 133 rushing yards with an 88-yard touchdown in the 45–20 2022 Sugar Bowl loss to Alabama.
After the 2022 season, Vaughn chose to forgo his senior year and declare for the 2023 NFL draft. He closed his college career with 651 carries for 3,604 rushing yards, 34 rushing touchdowns, 21 100-yard rushing games, 116 receptions for 1,280 yards, 9 receiving touchdowns, and 5,029 all-purpose yards, and he was one of only two Big 12 players ever to record 3,600 rushing yards and 1,250 receiving yards in a career.
Dallas Cowboys Era (2023–2024)
Vaughn was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the sixth round, 212th overall, of the 2023 NFL draft. His father, who works as a scout for the Cowboys, was the one who called to deliver the news. At 5 feet 5 inches, he became the shortest running back ever drafted since the NFL began tracking measurements at the scouting combine.
As a rookie in 2023, Vaughn appeared in seven games as a third-string running back and compiled 23 rushes for 40 yards, seven receptions for 40 yards, and four punt returns for 19 yards; he was declared inactive in nine games and was placed on the reserve/injured list on January 3, 2024, with an ankle injury. In 2024, he appeared in eight games as a backup, registering 17 carries for 70 yards and three receptions for 18 yards, and was declared inactive in nine games. He was waived by the Cowboys on August 26, 2025, as part of final roster cuts.
Denver Broncos Era (2025–2026)
On September 9, 2025, Vaughn was signed to the Denver Broncos’ practice squad. He signed a futures contract with the Broncos on January 26, 2026. He was later waived by Denver following the signing of Michael Woods II.
Orlando Storm Era (2026–Present)
On May 30, 2026, Vaughn signed with the Orlando Storm of the United Football League, continuing his professional career in spring football.
Driving Style and Strengths
Vaughn has built his game on quickness, vision, and balance rather than power, allowing him to thrive in space and in the passing game. His track background shows in his ability to make defenders miss in the open field, and his experience as a dual-threat running back at Kansas State made him a reliable pass catcher out of the backfield at the professional level.
Notable Events and Milestones
Vaughn’s most celebrated milestone came in 2023, when he became the shortest running back ever drafted since the NFL began tracking the scouting combine. He is also the only Kansas State player in school history to combine 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in a career, and he was part of the Wildcats’ Big 12 Championship-winning team in 2022.
Deuce Vaughn Career Wins
Across his high school, college, and professional career, Deuce Vaughn has built a résumé defined by production and consistency rather than trophy counts. He is a Consensus All-American, a former Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year, a two-time Second-team All-Big 12 selection, and a First-team All-Big 12 honoree.
Kansas State Wildcats Highlights
Vaughn finished his college career as one of the most productive running backs in Kansas State history, ranking second in school history in carries (651), rushing yards (3,604), and 100-yard rushing games (21), and third in all-purpose yards (5,029). He was a Consensus All-American in 2021, a First-team All-Big 12 pick in 2022, a two-time Second-team All-Big 12 selection in 2020 and 2021, and the Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year in 2020.
Other Wins and Performances
At Cedar Ridge High School, Vaughn was a two-time District 13-6A Offensive MVP and broke the school’s single-season rushing record, finishing with 4,405 career rushing yards and 5,472 all-purpose yards.
Deuce Vaughn Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Vaughn comes from a football family. His father, Chris, played college football at Murray State and has built a long coaching career, having worked as an assistant at Arkansas, Ole Miss, Memphis, and Texas, and later serving as a scout for the Dallas Cowboys. The coaching profession took the family to several cities while Deuce was growing up, before they settled in Round Rock, Texas.
Personal Life
Deuce Vaughn was a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity during his time at Kansas State. He is the son of Chris Vaughn and has continued his professional career in football after his college career with the Wildcats.
2025 Season Performance
Vaughn’s 2025 season was defined by movement between rosters. He began the year with the Dallas Cowboys after finishing the 2024 campaign as a backup running back, but was waived on August 26, 2025, as part of final roster cuts. He quickly found a landing spot, signing with the Denver Broncos’ practice squad on September 9, 2025, keeping his NFL hopes alive in a developmental role.
His career NFL statistics as of 2025 include 110 rushing yards on a 2.8-yard average, along with 10 receptions for 58 receiving yards, reflecting limited touches across his time in the league. Vaughn continued to work toward a larger role with Denver into early 2026.
