Misgivings about Deuce Vaughn

[Rayman70]

I don't trust Pollard as a RB1 either. I think the RB position is weak on the Cowboys team, much like the WR & DT positions were weak last year. I don't mind a short RB. My preference is for a RB between 5'8" - 5"11" (low center of gravity) and between 200 - 215 lbs, with 4.5 - 5.0 speed. Balance and vision are perhaps the most important traits in a RB, and also the hardest to measure. At his height, I'd prefer Deuce to be around 190-195 lbs. In my opinion, he's 10-15 lbs too light for me.g

Zeke is also way past his prime, and I think it would be a mistake to bring him back to the Cowboys. I'm not sure who will emerge as the best Cowboys RB over the next 2-3 years.

also, how healthy will 20 be? Did he lose anything after the injury? Thats why I didnt wanna tag him.

 

[nathanlt]

I watched a couple of games with Deuce Vaughn, and although he has some wiggle, and broke off some good runs in college, he also has an awful lot of plays where he gets stopped at the line of scrimmage. Due to his slight build, he gets swallowed up easily. I expect he will have an awful lot of carries in the NFL that go for zero yards - more than fans will be willing to tolerate.

He’s a great story, and I wish the kid well. But just based on their bodies of work to date, I have more trust that Ronald Jones will be a better back up to Pollard than Vaughn. Of course, I am MORE THAN WILLING to be wrong, but I don’t have a lot of hope that Vaughn will become a meaningful contributor in the Cowboys offense - at least not until he bulks up considerably. But even if he does, he still doesn’t have the break-away speed that you’d like to see in a backup gadget type RB.

Sorry to fans of Deuce, but that’s my honest opinion. I would have preferred picking Tucker out of Syracuse.

Myself, I would have been happier if Dallas drafted Abanikanda, even if it meant trading away next years pick, whatever it took.

However, Barry Sanders led the league in carries for negative yards, and it kinda worked out for Barry. I'm hoping for the best, and am hoping that Vaughn has success, since he's a Cowboy, a lock to make the roster due to Jerry's emotional connection.

I hope you're wrong, no offense.

 

[blueblood70]

If you're going to answer me answer correctly because I'm not getting into dumb back and forths.

Who played GREAT in preseason who did nothing in reg season. Let's see if you can answer properly this time

 

[blueblood70]

Thats a great example indeed. Still cant believe we cut that guy that quick. Another 1 might be Ridgeway. Time will tell, but I started getting a bad feeling after he shined for Washington in limited play.

well we didn't cut ridgeway, just thought we e could stash him on the PS,..daks injury and other injury's made MM have to shuffle and hide other positions trying to get through until starters got back. 2 different scenarios.

 

[Jumbo075]

Maybe Mazi Smith can be the short yardage RB for goal line plays. I'd be on board with that experiment.

 

[stilltheguru]

Yea so like I said, if duece balls out in preseason it'll show he can play in the NFL

 

[tomokawan]

I watched a couple of games with Deuce Vaughn, and although he has some wiggle, and broke off some good runs in college, he also has an awful lot of plays where he gets stopped at the line of scrimmage. Due to his slight build, he gets swallowed up easily. I expect he will have an awful lot of carries in the NFL that go for zero yards - more than fans will be willing to tolerate.

He’s a great story, and I wish the kid well. But just based on their bodies of work to date, I have more trust that Ronald Jones will be a better back up to Pollard than Vaughn. Of course, I am MORE THAN WILLING to be wrong, but I don’t have a lot of hope that Vaughn will become a meaningful contributor in the Cowboys offense - at least not until he bulks up considerably. But even if he does, he still doesn’t have the break-away speed that you’d like to see in a backup gadget type RB.

Sorry to fans of Deuce, but that’s my honest opinion. I would have preferred picking Tucker out of Syracuse.

I stopped reading at "I watched a couple of games".

 

[Rayman70]

well we didn't cut ridgeway, just thought we e could stash him on the PS,..daks injury and other injury's made MM have to shuffle and hide other positions trying to get through until starters got back. 2 different scenarios.

thats right. TY. But maybe stashing him was a bad idea as well.

 

[CouchCoach]

No one is declaring Deuce Vaughn cannot be a good NFL player. But the odds are against it happening, so it is unwise to get your hopes up too high.

I agree and using exceptions like Sproles doesn’t really change anything.

It’s not just about the player but how he is used. Some coaches are just better utilizing their skill positions.

 

[ActualCowboysFan]

He averaged 60 ypg before contact. Whatever you think of him OP critique is objectively wrong

 

[JayFord]

its a good chunk of RBs that get stopped at the LOS for no gain

thats partially due to Lineman getting whipped upfront from time to time and having 350 dts hitting you

if a DT hits a RB at the LOS and he doesnt stop him right there for no yards you need new ones

 

[Blast From The Past]

I know. But I just think playing the odds is a better bet. The odds are against him becoming a good NFL RB. But like I said, I’m more than willing to be wrong. The “exceptions to the rule” make for great feel good stories.

Some have compared him to Darren Sproles a back I always coveted. Size might not allow him to bang it up the middle alot but when he does he could squirt right out of there for a big gainer sometimes. Give him a chance and see what he's got and go from there. I'd love for you to be wrong too.

 

[DFWJC]

I watched a couple of games with Deuce Vaughn, and although he has some wiggle, and broke off some good runs in college, he also has an awful lot of plays where he gets stopped at the line of scrimmage. Due to his slight build, he gets swallowed up easily. I expect he will have an awful lot of carries in the NFL that go for zero yards - more than fans will be willing to tolerate.

He’s a great story, and I wish the kid well. But just based on their bodies of work to date, I have more trust that Ronald Jones will be a better back up to Pollard than Vaughn. Of course, I am MORE THAN WILLING to be wrong, but I don’t have a lot of hope that Vaughn will become a meaningful contributor in the Cowboys offense - at least not until he bulks up considerably. But even if he does, he still doesn’t have the break-away speed that you’d like to see in a backup gadget type RB.

Sorry to fans of Deuce, but that’s my honest opinion. I would have preferred picking Tucker out of Syracuse.

He was the 212th pick for a reason

Seemed like good value there. It's not like we spent a 2nd rounder on him

Curious to see how it goes

 

[Creeper]

Good post and I agree. But I think they will use Vaughn sparingly, if at all. They will give him plays to get in space and see if he can make NFL players miss tackles. I do not see him lining up in the backfield and plunging into the the line.

I also think he will not look as fast in the NFL as he did in college. NFL LBs and safeties all run 4.5 or better where in college there are mostly 4.6 and 4.7 guys.

Still, his size makes him hard to locate in the backfield. He might have success running screens and plays like that.

 

[gimmesix]

I watched a couple of games with Deuce Vaughn, and although he has some wiggle, and broke off some good runs in college, he also has an awful lot of plays where he gets stopped at the line of scrimmage. Due to his slight build, he gets swallowed up easily. I expect he will have an awful lot of carries in the NFL that go for zero yards - more than fans will be willing to tolerate.

He’s a great story, and I wish the kid well. But just based on their bodies of work to date, I have more trust that Ronald Jones will be a better back up to Pollard than Vaughn. Of course, I am MORE THAN WILLING to be wrong, but I don’t have a lot of hope that Vaughn will become a meaningful contributor in the Cowboys offense - at least not until he bulks up considerably. But even if he does, he still doesn’t have the break-away speed that you’d like to see in a backup gadget type RB.

Sorry to fans of Deuce, but that’s my honest opinion. I would have preferred picking Tucker out of Syracuse.

That's typical really for a lot of backs. Most don't rush for 3 or 4 yards on every carry and then break one off. Otherwise, their average would be phenomenal. If a back has a 5- or 6-yard average but multiple long runs, then he may be averaging 2 or 3 yards per carry on those other runs, and it likely includes some 6-yard carries and some zero-yard carries.

Now, there are some backs, like Elliott, who basically are what their average shows them to be. 3.8 YPC could be regularly expected of Elliott. But even with Pollard, his average was a phenomenal 5.2 per carry, but he had nine 20-plus-yard runs. Take those out (which we shouldn't do) and you have 184 carries for 827 yards, dropping his average to 4.5. And that's just counting those runs at 20 yards when many of them were longer than that. His actual average on runs shorter than 20 yards was lower than that.

The question with Vaughn isn't going to be whether he gets stopped behind the line some but whether he can be a threat like Pollard to break the next run for a big gain or break loose for a TD. Gone are the days when we could expect 3 yards when the back should get 1 or should get 10. Outside of maybe Hunter Luepke, we don't have those kinds of backs this year.

 

[Momanpr100]

If the line breaks down at the LOS most backs are gonna get tackled for 0 yards

 

[gimmesix]

Good post and I agree. But I think they will use Vaughn sparingly, if at all. They will give him plays to get in space and see if he can make NFL players miss tackles. I do not see him lining up in the backfield and plunging into the the line.

I also think he will not look as fast in the NFL as he did in college. NFL LBs and safeties all run 4.5 or better where in college there are mostly 4.6 and 4.7 guys.

Still, his size makes him hard to locate in the backfield. He might have success running screens and plays like that.

His strength to me doesn't seem to be his speed, but his shiftiness. Emmitt wasn't a particularly fast back, but he had great vision and shiftiness to find and get through holes. Of course, he also had underrated power to finish that I don't believe Vaughn will have. Vaughn is going to have to do a good job navigating traffic. Find those holes and pop through them. He may not be able to outrun the defense like Pollard, but he can be effective if his shiftiness makes it difficult to get a bead on him.

 

[Runwildboys]

How so? Who played great in the preseason who couldn't contribute in reg season?

There always seem to be guys who look good, then disappoint. Guys like Waletsko, Wright, Fehoko, Biadasz, and Joseph may not have looked like studs, but they looked better they've so far turned out to be.

 

[stilltheguru]

There always seem to be guys who look good, then disappoint. Guys like Waletsko, Wright, Fehoko, Biadasz, and Joseph may not have looked like studs, but they looked better they've so far turned out to be.

I can't speak for oline but fehoko/Joseph/Wright.....none had a good preseason before. Wright had the best and that was just OK. So again......no.

 

[Typhus]

I know. But I just think playing the odds is a better bet. The odds are against him becoming a good NFL RB. But like I said, I’m more than willing to be wrong. The “exceptions to the rule” make for great feel good stories.

2 inches taller and he would have had 1st round considerations.