The modern NFL rarely gives undersized running backs a long runway, which makes Deuce Vaughn’s path unusual. Deuce Vaughn has spent three years answering that with his legs, his hands, and sheer will. The Denver Broncos cut him on May 12, 2026, before he played a single snap for them.
He measured just over 5-foot-5 during the 2023 pre-draft process, later clocked a 4.56-second forty at his Pro Day, and lettered three years in track and field before becoming Christopher Vaughn II, the undersized back with an oversized football story. His latest waiver move does not close the book. It only adds another chapter to a career built on proving people wrong.
Historic start at Kansas State
Deuce Vaughn grew up moving around because his father, Chris, was a college football coach. He eventually settled in Round Rock, Texas, where he attended Cedar Ridge High School. He finished his high school career with 4,405 rushing yards, 38 rushing touchdowns, and 5,472 all-purpose yards, setting a school record in his senior season.
At Kansas State, Vaughn became one of the most productive running backs in program history. Vaughn finished his college career with 3,604 rushing yards and 34 rushing touchdowns. He also set school records with 116 career receptions and 1,280 receiving yards by a running back. He was a consensus All-American in 2022 and one of only two Big 12 players ever to post 3,600 rushing yards and 1,250 receiving yards in a career.
Historic draft moment with his father
Vaughn entered the 2023 NFL Draft after his junior season at Kansas State. At 5-foot-5 and 179 pounds, he became the shortest running back ever drafted since the NFL began tracking combine measurements. His draft weekend story went viral almost immediately.
His father, Chris Vaughn, is a scout for the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys selected Deuce in the sixth round, 212th overall. Chris was given the honor of calling his own son to deliver the news. It was one of the most emotional moments of the 2023 draft weekend and drew national attention to a player already overcoming the odds.
Two tough years in Dallas
In 2023, Vaughn was behind Tony Pollard in Dallas. In 2024, Pollard had left for Tennessee, while Dallas used a committee that included Ezekiel Elliott and Rico Dowdle. He appeared in seven games during the 2023 season and compiled 23 rushes for 40 yards. He also added seven receptions for 40 yards and four punt returns while landing on injured reserve with an ankle injury late in the year.
In 2024, Vaughn appeared in seven games but was declared inactive in nine others. He posted 17 carries for 70 yards and three catches for 18 yards. The opportunity simply never came in Dallas. Despite flashes of explosiveness in preseason, the regular-season role he needed never opened up behind a crowded backfield.
Fun fact: Vaughn won the very first Nickelodeon Preseason NVP award in 2023 and got slimed by teammates after receiving the trophy.
Moving on to Denver
Dallas waived Vaughn on August 26, 2025, as part of final roster cuts. Two weeks later, on September 9, the Denver Broncos signed him to their practice squad. It felt like a fresh start under head coach Sean Payton, who had previously coached Darren Sproles, a similarly undersized and explosive player.
Vaughn spent the 2025 season on Denver’s practice squad, and the Broncos showed enough interest to sign him to a futures contract on January 26, 2026. That contract signaled the team believed he could contribute in a developmental role heading into the 2026 season. For Vaughn, it looked like the best chance he had gotten yet.
Brutal cut before it began
On May 12, 2026, Denver waived Vaughn after signing wide receiver Michael Woods II and cornerback Paul Manning following rookie minicamp tryouts. Cornerback Will Wright got the same treatment in the same sweep. The cut came before Vaughn had even participated in full-padded practices during the offseason.
The timing was especially harsh. Vaughn had only taken part in walkthrough sessions and limited offseason work in the days before the move. He never took a regular-season snap in a Denver uniform despite holding a futures contract that suggested the team wanted to keep him around. The decision blindsided many fans and football observers.
Where he stands in NFL history
Most football historians place Vaughn as the second-shortest player in NFL history. The record belongs to Jack Shapiro, who stood just 5-foot-1 and played in 1929. Scouts and analysts keep comparing Vaughn to Darren Sproles, who played 15 seasons across the San Diego Chargers, New Orleans Saints, and Philadelphia Eagles despite standing just 5-foot-6.
Those comparisons are based on more than just height. Both players share explosive quickness, strong receiving skills out of the backfield, and the ability to impact special teams. Sproles proved that a small player could have a long and decorated NFL career. Vaughn is hoping to follow the same path before the door fully closes.
Denver’s direction without him
The Broncos are clearly in win-now mode heading into 2026. Denver finished the 2025 season 14- 3 and came close to a deep playoff run. The front office has aggressively rebuilt the roster around young quarterback Bo Nix. One of their biggest offseason moves was acquiring wide receiver Jaylen Waddle from the Miami Dolphins in a blockbuster trade involving first-round draft picks.
With a championship window opening, Denver is making hard roster decisions based purely on fit. Vaughn simply did not make the cut in a room full of competing priorities. Denver’s move came as part of offseason roster management after signing Woods and Manning. They are cutting him because they are building toward a Super Bowl run, and every roster spot matters deeply.
Little-known fact: Vaughn’s high school résumé included a school-record single-game rushing performance, along with 4,405 career rushing yards and 50 total touchdowns at Cedar Ridge High School.
What comes next for Deuce Vaughn
Vaughn is entering his fourth year as a professional, and the clock is ticking. At just 24 years old, he still has time to find a home with another team. His college resume is impressive enough to earn a second look from any front office searching for a versatile weapon in the backfield or on special teams.
Several teams with thin running back rooms or a need for a pass-catching back could benefit from giving Vaughn a real shot. His story is not over. It is one of the most compelling underdog stories in recent NFL memory and one that deserves a better ending than a quiet waiver wire move in May.
TL;DR
- Deuce Vaughn is the shortest running back measured at the Combine since official tracking began.
- He set multiple records at Kansas State and was a 2022 consensus All-American.
- His father, Chris Vaughn, a Cowboys scout, personally called him when Dallas drafted him in 2023.
- He spent two seasons in Dallas with limited playing time behind veteran running backs.
- Denver signed him to a futures contract in January 2026 but cut him in May before he ever played a game for them.
- The Broncos are in Super Bowl mode, having traded for Jaylen Waddle and gone 14-3 last season.
- Vaughn is 24 years old and still has a realistic chance of catching on with another NFL team.
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This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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