With His NFL Future on the Line, Cowboys RB Draws Surprising Bronny James Comparison as He Faces a Make-or-Break “Last Chance” Season

If Dallas Cowboys running back Deuce Vaughn didn’t know where his team’s head was at concerning his future, this offseason should have made it very clear to him.

That message? Without a stunning turn of events at training camp by Vaughn — and probably a rash of injuries to other running backs — his time with the Cowboys might be coming ton an end after 2 underperforming seasons.

The Dallas Morning News singled Vaughn out after minicamp as a player who doesn’t seem to have a fit with the Cowboys in 2025 and is likely down to his last chance with the franchise.

“Vaughn is fighting to get on the field,” DMN’s Calvin Watkins wrote on June 16. “Vaughn, if you remember, was the feel-good story of the 2023 draft when picked in the sixth round out of Kansas State. He’s played in 14 games since. His father is Chris Vaughn, the Cowboys’ assistant director of college scouting. You can debate whether the Cowboys did this as a favor to Chris, but Deuce hasn’t been given an easy road to earn roster spots. He’s also understanding of the critiques of that. In some ways you can compare it to Bronny James, LeBron James’ son whom the Lakers drafted in the second round last year.”

Bronny Comparison Doesn’t Really Make Sense

The Bronny comparison is pretty harsh — and doesn’t really make sense.

Comparing the assistant director of scouting for the Cowboys to LeBron James isn’t apples to apples.

Chris Vaughn is a well respected person in the job he does, but he doesn’t even have final say over who the Cowboys pick in the draft. Throughout almost all of his 22 seasons in the NBA, LeBron James has had almost complete control of every roster decision, draft pick and head coaching hire on every team he’s played on — that includes picking his oldest son in the 2024 NBA draft after he averaged 4.8 points as a freshman for USC.

Vaughn Starred at Kansas State, Struggled in NFL

Vaughn was one of the nation’s most dynamic — and best — running backs for Kansas State from 2020 to 2022. In 3 seasons, Vaughn put up 4,854 yards of total offense and 43 total touchdowns, including 3,640 rushing yards.

The Cowboys drafted Vaughn in the sixth round (No. 211 overall) despite some red flags in the scouting process. That includes his size, at 5-foot-5 and 179 pounds, and a less than stellar 40-yard dash time of 4.56 seconds. Through his first 2 seasons, Vaughn has just 40 carries for 110 yards and no touchdowns.

In the last few months, the Cowboys have brought in 3 new running backs. Dallas signed Javonte Williams to a 1-year, $3 million free agent contract. They also drafted 2 running backs in the 2025 NFL draft, although in the later rounds, with fifth round pick Jaydon Blue (No. 149 overall) and seventh round pick (No. 239 overall) Phil Mafah.

NFL.com’s Chad Reuter put Blue at No. 1 on his list of Day 3 picks who could compete for starter snaps in 2025.

“The Cowboys might begin the year with starting reps going to veteran back Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders, but Blue should have a chance to be the guy for the Blue-and-Silver by midseason,” Reuter wrote on May 5. “The Texas product’s home run-hitting ability as a runner and receiver makes it imperative that he’s on the field.”