Hearing your name called during the NFL Draft is a dream come true. Hearing your dad call your name during the NFL Draft is even better. But Kansas State running back Deuce Vaughn and his father, Chris Vaughn, were able to share a moment that was even better. Why? Deuce Vaughn's dad is the assistant director of college scouting for the Dallas Cowboys, the team that selected the Wildcats star in the sixth round.
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Playing football in Texas is different from any other football experience, from the high school level all the way to the NFL. There has to be no feeling like scoring scoring a touchdown for America's Team. But RB Deuce Vaughn may have found something even better.
Deuce Vaughn Gets "The Call"
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The Cowboys' war room already had called multiple All-Americans and other college football players over the previous two days. Beginning with Mazi Smith in the first round, head coach Mike McCarthy was compiling a team that would make owner Jerry Jones proud. But for one Cowboys scout, someone was about to chop onions in the Dallas draft room.
With Jones sitting in the draft room, he flipped a napkin over to Chris Vaughn, which confused him. No one makes picks in the later rounds — they're automated at that point. But as he turned over the napkin, Chris saw what Jones was telling him. On that napkin was written the name of Chris' son, Deuce, who had been a standout at K-State this past season. The Cowboys were selecting him with the 212th overall pick.
His voice cracking and shaking with emotion on the phone call, Deuce Vaughn's father asked his son one simple question. "Look here, man, do you want to come to work with me next week?"
"I wouldn't mind that at all," Deuce answered on the other line.
Jones has presided over more than 30 drafts as Dallas' owner and general manager. But even he couldn't hold back tears as he spoke with the newest Cowboys rusher.
"I've never had an experience like that in the draft room. Ever," Jones said.
Even McCarthy said, "In 30 years of this league, I've never seen anything like that. That was a very special moment."
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While the Darren Sproles-like rusher cannot replace Ezekiel Elliott by himself, the former Kansas State Wildcats would pair nicely with Tony Pollard in the Cowboys backfield. Sure, Austin's Bijan Robinson was the best rusher in the 2023 NFL Draft class, and Alabama's Bryce Young went with the first overall draft pick. But no ESPN highlight or playoff win could even top the feeling of telling your son he's an NFL player.
