Pros and cons of the Dallas Cowboys picking Kansas State's Deuce ...

Kansas State football's Deuce Vaughn was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

Vaughn, a 5-foot-5, 179-pound defensive end from Round Rock, Texas, was drafted No. 212 overall. He continued the trend of K-State players ending up in or near their hometowns, following Felix Anudike-Uzomah (Kansas City), Julius Brents (Indianapolis) and Josh Hayes (Tampa Bay).

Vaughn, who was overlooked and under-recruited out of high school, stepped straight into Kansas State's starting lineup and in just three seasons — including a freshman season reduced to 10 games because of the COVID-19 pandemic — became the most dynamic Wildcat running back since All-American and all-time rushing leader Darren Sproles.

Vaughn finished his career with 3,604 rushing yards — No. 2 in school history behind Sproles — and 34 touchdowns, and ranks third in all-purpose yards with 5,029. His 116 career receptions for 1,280 and nine touchdowns are the most ever by a Wildcat running back.

Vaughn was a two-time consensus All-American as an all-purpose back, rushing for 1,404 yards and 18 touchdowns with 49 catches for 468 yards as a sophomore while running for 1,558 yards and catching 42 passes for 378 in 2022.

Here is what Vaughn is likely to bring to the NFL.

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Vaughn's production, both as a runner and receiver, speaks for itself. Despite his size he is a fearless runner between the tackles and his shiftiness and quickness makes him nearly unstoppable in the open field.

Vaughn's pass-catching skills out of the backfield or from the slot should not be overlooked, either. And he showed his durability as a workhorse back over the past two seasons.

While scouts love his ability and desire, Vaughn's size is considered a major stumbling block and something he again will have to overcome in the NFL. He also lacks breakaway speed.

While Vaughn's size and measurables may have given teams pause, his desire and determination — not to mention meticulous study habits and attention to detail — make him hard to overlook.

Because of his size, he admittedly has played his entire career with a chip on his shoulder and it has served him well. He also will be a positive influence in any NFL locker room.

Arne Green is based in Salina and covers Kansas State University sports for the Gannett network. He can be reached at agreen@gannett.com or on Twitter at @arnegreen.