3 players the Cowboys should've drafted over Deuce Vaughn after lost rookie year
By Jerry Trotta
The running back position is a polarizing subject in Dallas right now. Now only are the Dallas Cowboys reportedly sniffing around Dalvin Cook, but Tony Pollard is under siege for the run game's struggles and the team surprisingly placed Deuce Vaughn on injured reserve to make room for defensive lineman Junior Fehoko.
Vaughn is only eligible to return this season if the Cowboys make the Super Bowl. Even then, its unlikely he'll be activated. Assuming Vaughn's rookie year is over, he finished with less than 100 yards from scrimmage and 1.9 yards per carry. He was active for just seven games.
It amounts to a lost rookie year for Vaughn, which is disappointing considering he starred in preseason. There's still a chance the sixth-round pick pans out in Dallas, but it's hard to argue that drafting him No. 212 overall was a mistake.
A number of other players could actually be contributing to the Cowboys, or at least have a more promising NFL future than Vaughn.
3. Carrington Valentine, CB, Packers
The Cowboys did great to nab DaRon Bland in the fifth round of the 2022 draft, but they've had a wonky track record in the sixth and seventh rounds. Donovan Wilson (sixth), Noah Brown (seventh), Anthony Brown (sixth) and Cedrick Wilson Jr. (sixth) are some of their most recent success stories in that regard, but it's largely been swings and misses.
Vaughn might be another sixth-round miss. That's frustrating given Carrington Valentine was there for the taking. The Packers scooped up Valentine with the No. 232 overall pick, a whopping 20 picks after Dallas selected Vaughn.
Valentine was thrust into a prominent role after Green Bay traded Rasul Douglas. Most rookie defensive backs would struggle with that transition. Valentine, though, has exceeded expectations and Packers talking heads believe the team's secondary plays better when he starts.
That's unheard of for a first-year CB. He has a long way to come as a run defender, but he's allowed more than 60 receiving yards in just two games. We'd be even more bullish on the future of the Cowboys cornerback room if the team drafted Valentine in April.