Deuce Vaughn Height: How Tall Is He Really?
Deuce Vaughn height is 5 feet 5 inches (165 cm).
That is the number he was measured at during the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, where he was listed at 5-foot-5 and 179 pounds. Some team rosters round him up to 5 ft 6 in (168 cm), so you will see both figures. The running back from Kansas State is the shortest player ever drafted at his position, and his size has shaped his story from high school to the practice squad.
Quick Facts
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Christopher “Deuce” Vaughn II |
| Height | 5 ft 5 in (165 cm) measured; 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) on some team rosters |
| Weight | About 176 to 179 lb (80 to 81 kg) |
| Date of Birth | November 2, 2001 |
| Age | 24 |
| Birthplace | Fayetteville, Arkansas |
| Nationality | American |
| Zodiac Sign | Scorpio |
| Profession | NFL running back and return specialist |
| Shoe Size | Not publicly confirmed |
Early Life and Background
Christopher Vaughn II was born in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and his mother gave him the nickname “Deuce.” Football was the family trade. His father, Chris Vaughn, spent years as a college assistant coach, so the family moved often. The stops included Arkansas, Ole Miss, Memphis, Tulsa and Texas, and Deuce grew up in college locker rooms.
The family eventually settled in the Austin area, and Deuce starred at Cedar Ridge High School in Round Rock, Texas. As a senior he broke the school’s single-season rushing record with 1,938 yards. He also scored 25 touchdowns that year.
Recruiters hesitated over his height. He left high school as a three-star prospect, and his size drove many programs away. Kansas State offered a scholarship, and he committed there.
His mother, Marquette, was a steady presence while his father’s coaching career kept him away for long stretches. Deuce has called her his “rock.” Chris later became the Dallas Cowboys’ assistant director of college scouting, which put the family at the center of one of the more unusual draft stories in recent years.
Career Journey and Timeline
2020: Kansas State arrival. Vaughn was named Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year as a true freshman. He also earned second-team All-Big 12 honors. Early in the season he put up 164 total yards and a touchdown against Oklahoma.
2021: Second-team All-Big 12. He kept piling up all-purpose yardage as a runner, receiver and returner. He earned second-team All-Big 12 honors again.
2022: Consensus All-American. In his final college season he rushed for 1,558 yards and nine touchdowns. He was named first-team All-Big 12 and a consensus All-American. Over three seasons he totaled 3,604 rushing yards, 34 rushing touchdowns and 1,280 receiving yards.
March 2023: NFL Combine. At 5 ft 5 in he became the shortest player measured at the combine since data tracking began in 2003. At his pro day he ran roughly a 4.55 40-yard dash.
April 2023: Drafted. The Cowboys took him in the sixth round, 212th overall. His father had left the room whenever the team discussed him and never wrote a scouting report on him. Chris made the call himself. The draft room reportedly broke into tears and cheers.
2023 and 2024: Dallas. Vaughn played seven games each season, for 14 in total. He carried the ball 40 times for 110 yards and caught 10 passes for 58 yards. He also returned punts, and injuries and a crowded backfield limited his role.
August 2025: Released. Dallas waived him at final cuts. He went unclaimed, then signed with the Denver Broncos’ practice squad on September 9, 2025.
2026: Fighting to stay in the league. Denver gave him a reserve/future contract in January but waived him in May. He signed with the UFL’s Orlando Storm at the end of May but did not play a game. After a workout, the Texans signed him in August and waived him, then added him to their practice squad in October.
Physical Appearance in Detail
Deuce Vaughn height of 5 ft 5 in puts him roughly four inches below the average American man, who stands about 5 ft 9 in. Next to NFL linemen and linebackers, he looks even smaller. His weight sits between 176 and 179 pounds, depending on the source and the year. That is a dense, compact frame with a very low center of gravity.
Scouts have described his body as nearly “off the charts in the wrong direction” by NFL standards. They also praised his agility and said he is hard to find in traffic. His low build lets him bend at the knees and hips, cut sharply and disappear behind blockers. Scouting reports pointed to a high top gear in the open field.
He wears number 42 in Dallas and Denver and number 31 in Houston. His hair and eye color are not something he has publicized, so reliable details are scarce. His on-field style is the better signature: quick, low and hard to tackle cleanly, with a punt-return role that lets him use that burst.
His listed weight has also moved around in team media guides, usually landing between 176 and 185 pounds. Different outlets round his height and weight differently, so treat any single number as approximate.
Deuce Vaughn Height Compared to Other Players
Most NFL running backs stand around 5 ft 10 in, so Vaughn is several inches shorter than the typical player at his position. His comparisons usually point to the small backs who found niche roles. Darren Sproles, a fellow Kansas State alum, is the model he has studied most closely.
| Player | Height |
|---|---|
| Deuce Vaughn | 5 ft 5 in (165 cm) |
| Darren Sproles | 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) |
| Tarik Cohen | 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) |
| Devin Singletary | 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) |
| Phillip Lindsay | 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) |
| Derrick Henry | 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) |
Even among the league’s smallest backs, he sits at the bottom of the list. Against a power runner like Derrick Henry, the gap is nearly a foot.
How Height Shaped His Career and Public Image
Height has been the defining theme of Vaughn’s football life. It affected his recruiting, his draft stock and the way analysts describe him. In 2023 one scouting report wrote that he would likely have been in the conversation as the best running back in the draft if he were five inches taller. Dallas’s own front office has called his height a negative that doubles as a super-power.
The benefits are real. A low center of gravity helps with sharp cuts and with hiding behind offensive linemen. Defenders have trouble finding him at the line of scrimmage. His college production backs this up. He ranked among the top backs nationally in receiving yards and yards after the catch, and he built it on three years of heavy college usage without major durability problems.
The costs are just as clear. Pass blocking is the area where his size hurts most, since NFL running backs have to stop much larger pass rushers. Coaches also worry about injury risk over a long season, and a short back has less margin when taking direct hits. Those concerns pushed him to the sixth round and into a limited NFL role.
His height also gave him a public identity. Vaughn became one of the more recognizable undersized stories in football. Fans gravitated to the comparison with Sproles and to the family angle of a scout’s son. His time in Dallas, Denver, Orlando and Houston has kept him in headlines mostly for roster moves, which shows how hard it is for a back his size to earn a long-term role.
What Deuce Vaughn Has Said About His Height
Vaughn has never avoided the subject. When asked about doubters, he said it is more of a chip thing for him and that doubt about his size adds to the chip on his shoulder. He has described his size as his “superpower.”
He has also spoken about learning from Sproles. After Dallas drafted him, Vaughn said he studied Sproles’ versatility as a runner, receiver and returner. He relayed Sproles’ advice to keep confidence even when you are the smallest player in the locker room, and added that at his size you have to be tough.
On the broader draft process, his father told reporters that Deuce’s size was always the elephant in the room, something he had overcome through ability. Deuce himself kept his focus on getting a chance. He said he only needed a foot in the door. He has not complained publicly about being undervalued, and he has stayed consistent about the message: his height is a fact, and he plays through it.
Personal Life
Vaughn keeps his private life low-profile. The people he talks about most are his parents. Chris Vaughn works in scouting for the Cowboys, and Marquette has been a constant support. He has sisters, and one of them waited with his mother during the 2023 draft.
His father has said Deuce is the hardest worker he knows, and Chris deliberately kept a distance from his son’s draft process. The two talk daily, and not only about football. Details about relationships are not public, and Vaughn has not shared them in interviews.
At 24, he is on the Texans’ practice squad and still chasing a regular NFL role. He turns 25 on November 2, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Deuce Vaughn tall for a man?
No. At 5 ft 5 in, he is shorter than the average American man at about 5 ft 9 in. Among NFL running backs, he is one of the shortest players ever drafted.
What is Deuce Vaughn’s exact height in cm?
He measured 165 cm (5 ft 5 in) at the 2023 NFL Combine. Some teams list him at 168 cm (5 ft 6 in), so the commonly cited figure is approximate.
How does Deuce Vaughn’s height compare to Darren Sproles?
Sproles is listed at 5 ft 6 in, so he is about one inch taller than Vaughn’s measured height. Both starred at Kansas State and built careers as versatile, undersized backs.
Has Deuce Vaughn talked about his height publicly?
Yes. He has called his size a “superpower” and said doubters add to his chip on his shoulder. He has also spoken about learning from Sproles.
What is Deuce Vaughn’s shoe size?
It has not been publicly confirmed by Vaughn or his teams.
Is Deuce Vaughn taller than Tarik Cohen?
No. Cohen is listed at 5 ft 6 in, so he is about an inch taller than Vaughn’s measured 5 ft 5 in.
Does Deuce Vaughn height affect his play?
Yes, in both directions. It helps his agility and ability to disappear behind blockers. It limits him in pass blocking and can raise concerns about durability.
How much does Deuce Vaughn weigh?
He is listed at roughly 176 to 179 pounds, depending on the source. He weighed 179 pounds at the combine.
What is Deuce Vaughn known for besides his height?
He was a 2022 consensus All-American at Kansas State and the Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year in 2020. He is also the son of a Cowboys scout who was drafted by his father’s team.
Where does Deuce Vaughn play now?
He is on the Houston Texans’ practice squad as of October 2026, after stops with Dallas, Denver and the UFL’s Orlando Storm.
