Two Different Dogs: Falcons' Bijan vs. Cowboys' Deuce Vaughn

Does Dallas Cowboys running back Deuce Vaughn deserve to be mentioned as an equal to Atlanta Falcons rookie rusher Bijan Robinson?

This weekend, Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson made his preseason debut, but why did his first game receive so much more praise than that of fellow rookie rusher Dallas Cowboys' Deuce Vaughn?

Bijan posted an impressive stat line of five touches for 26 yards. Good stuff.

Deuce, though, has been even more sizzling. In his debut? He had three receptions on three targets, and as a rusher, he had eight carries for 50 yards and a touchdown against the Jags. In Week 2, he became a national highlight again for his 14-yard TD run at Seattle.

However, Bijan's news coverage was completely different … in part because of his measurables. Standing 5-11 and weighing 215 pounds, he's been touted as the next great running back. Meanwhile, Deuce has (previously, anyway) been spoken about as if he's simply a gimmick player who’s had a lucky day or two … because he's considered just too undersized to succeed in the NFL.

Anyone little is often referred to as being cute, but it's time people stop diminishing Deuce as simply a cute story. Yes, it was heartwarming to see Deuce's father, Dallas' assistant director of college scouting, call him on draft night and break the news that they'd be working together. But he earned that call.

In his sophomore and junior seasons, Deuce received first-team Associated Press All-American honors as an all-purpose player and second-team All-Big 12 Conference accolades as a running back, averaging 1904 yards from scrimmage and 17 touchdowns per season.

Playing in a generation that labels every player with a single highlight as being a “dawg,” Deuce is a sort of chihuahua, and that's a positive. Sure he measured in at 5-5 and 179 pounds at the NFL combine, but size is just one of the criteria needed to be a little dog. The other metric is that a chihuahua must make a lot of noise ... something Deuce excels at between the lines.

Deuce Vaughn made defenders look absolutely SILLY in his preseason debut 😳

Vaughn ended the night with 50 rushing yards and a TD on 8 carries.

And also caught all three of his targets for a net of 6 yards in the passing game.

Vaughn’s “shiftiness” was reportedly viewed as an… pic.twitter.com/RB8pOxvms4

— NFL Rookie Watch (@NFLRookieWatxh) August 13, 2023

After Deuce's preseason debut, where he made a lot a lot of noise by displaying the elite athleticism that allowed him to rush for over 130 yards and a touchdown against college football juggernaut Alabama, many were forced to give him some of the respect that he'd been denied as a "cute story."

The Cowboys running back, who was listed fourth on the depth chart, went from someone perceived as fighting for a roster spot to someone fighting for the No. 2 running back role behind Tony Pollard, thanks to his ability to make defenders miss.

Sure, a small-framed player is at risk if he's hit cleanly by a defender, but as the great boxer Muhammad Ali once said, "You can't hit what you can't see," and Deuce's height thus far has seemed to be more of an issue for defenders trying to tackle him than for him as a rusher.

It's also worth noting that linebackers have given up size for speed in recent years as they try to adapt to a more pass-oriented league, allowing a player like Carolina QB Bryce Young, who stands 5-10 and less than 200 pounds, to be selected No. 1 overall whereas in the past that would have been considered too risky of an investment.

Let's also remember that Detroit Lions running back Barry Sanders, who's widely regarded as the greatest running back of all time, made an All-Pro team every season of his decade-long career and retired having stayed healthy his entire career despite playing against bigger, more physical defenders in the late 1980s and 1990s, all while being roughly 5-8 and 200 pounds. 

On the other hand, Bo Jackson is considered the greatest "What if?" story in sports history as a 6-1, 227 pound running back that went No. 1 overall in the 1986 NFL Draft and had his career limited to four seasons due to an injury sustained while getting tackled which took away his remarkable athleticism. 

Knowing how not to get tackled is arguably a more valuable skill than being able to dish punishment physically. There's a reason why Kansas City Chiefs' elusive tight end Travis Kelce continues to thrive in the NFL at age 33, but all-time great bruising tight end Rob Gronkowski retired at 30 after his physical style of play wore down his body. Being bigger and stronger doesn't mean you'll have a healthier career. Skill is sustainable; physicality isn't. 

Perhaps Deuce won't be able to carve out a role in the NFL, but maybe he will. Although he's a different “dawg” than Bijan, he's an animal nonetheless, and we bet the Cowboys’ chihuahua will continue to surprise those overlooking him due to size by contributing with his skill and agility.

At the same level as Bijan? That’s a stretch. At a level that can mean a Dallas difference? That’s seems on the horizon.

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You can follow Isaiah DeAnda Delgado on Instagram, Twitter, and Threads @IsaiahDDelgado.

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