Most pro sports leagues are no place for people of average height, let alone those of below-average height.
There have, however, been a few exceptions to that rule, and the Dallas Cowboys are hoping one of their picks in the 2023 NFL Draft will become just that.
With the No. 212 pick, they took Deuce Vaughn, a running back from Kansas State University who stands just 5-foot-5 and weighs about 170 pounds.
Short people unite: The #Cowboys select Kansas St. RB Deuce Vaughn — all 5-foot-5 of him — at No. 212.
As @MoveTheSticks mentions, his father scouts for Dallas. Very cool.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 29, 2023
Vaughn’s father is a scout for the Cowboys, which makes this story all the more heartwarming.
Vaughn played three seasons for the Jayhawks, and in 2022 he ran for 1,558 yards and nine touchdowns, as year after he posted 1,404 rushing yards and 18 rushing yards.
He has also proven to be something of a dual-threat back, as he caught 116 balls and tallied 1,280 yards and nine scores in 37 games at Kansas State.
His versatility and production made him a consensus All-American in 2021 and 2022.
The Cowboys look to have a stronger roster now than they did last season, as they have added wide receiver Brandin Cooks and cornerback Stephon Gilmore to a roster that already looked very competitive.
But they let running back Ezekiel Elliott, long a mainstay of the organization, leave in free agency, and they could use a solid backup behind new RB1 Tony Pollard.
It remains to be seen if Vaughn has what it takes to withstand the physicality of the NFL, but he was able to withstand the physicality of the Big 12 for three years, and that’s certainly a good sign, if not a sign that he plays bigger than his listed size.
