The Dallas Cowboys pulled off what many considered a steal in the 2023 NFL Draft when they selected 5-foot-6 Kansas State running back Duece Vaughn. While the Cowboys may have been influenced to choose him due to the fact that his father works in the front office, Vaughn was a very speedy prospect who made waves thanks to his ability to break tackles and find paydirt.
However, with the additions that have been made around him, it would not be unreasonable to see Vaughn start the season as the fourth-string running back. Veterans Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders were signed to "prove it" deals after down 2024 seasons, and two more Day 3 running backs in fifth-rounder Jaydon Blue and seventh-rounder Phil Mafah joined the mix.
With his special teams value limited, keeping four running backs might be a very big ask for this Cowboys offense. Vaughn, through a combination of his own hard work and some lucky bounces coming his way, will need to overcome some daunting odds if he is going to contribute to the Dallas offense in 2025.
Former Dallas Cowboys draft pick Duece Vaughn falling down depth chart
On one hand, Vaughn, who ran for 134 yards on 49 carries in parts of two seasons, has a path to some serious playing time. Williams is the nominal starter, but his grip on that starting job is as loose as Jerry Jones' temper. Between Sanders, Blue, and Mafah behind Williams, that depth chart could realistically end up being organized in any possible permutation.
On the other hand, however, Vaughn will likely need to beat out a highly-touted Day 3 pick in Blue and two veterans with 1,000-yard from scrimmage seasons under their belt to even have a chance at getting snaps. His receiving upside is real, but Blue's speed and elusiveness give him a similarly enticing ceiling.
Vaughn's best hope, barring injury, is to relegate Mafah to practice squad duty and prove that he has more potential as a change-of-pace back than Sanders, who is fresh off a nightmare stint with the Carolina Panthers. From there, Vaughn can work on trying to prevent Blue from ascending to a featured role.
As offensive coordinator, Brian Schottenheimer did contribute to undrafted free agent Rico Dowdle pushing more heralded names like Ezekiel Elliott out of the starting lineup. This suggests the running back room could be a pure meritocracy, which could help Vaughn slowly climb his way back up it.