Football star Ke'Shawn Vaughn has an argument as the greatest running back in VU history. He checks in at 28th on our countdown of top 100 VU athletes we've covered.
Honors and awards: 2018 Southeastern Conference Newcomer of the Year
2018 second-team All-SEC
2020 Reese's Senior Bowl
2020 NFL Combine
In the VU record book: Single-game rushing yards: second and ninth (243 vs. Baylor, 2018, 182 vs. Missouri in 2018)
Single-game rushing average: first, fourth, 10th (18.7 vs. Baylor in 2018, 12.1 vs. Missouri in 2018, 9.9 vs. ETSU in 2019)
Single-season rushing yards: second and ninth (1,244 in 2018 and 1,028 in 2019)
Single-season rushing attempts: ninth (198 in 2019)
Career rushing yards: fifth (2,272)
Before VU: Starred at Nashville's Pearl-Cohn High, where he was the 2014 Tennessee Gatorade Player of the Year, Mr. Football and the 4A Back of the Year as a senior after rushing for 2,646 rushing yards and 45 touchdowns. Led prep team to 11-3 record and state semifinals as a senior. Had over 2,000 rushing yards as a junior.
Freshman (2015-Illinois): Played 11 games with five starts. Pro Football Focus graded him a 66.0 in pass protection. Was the team's Offensive Newcomer of the Year. Led team in carries, rushing yards and rushing TDs. Named Big Ten Freshman of the Week on Nov. 9 after career-high 180 rushing yards on 16 carries at Purdue. Had 24 carries for 97 yards, including a 48-yard rush, vs. Nebraska.
Sophomore (2016- Illinois): Played 11 games, with three starts. PFF graded him at 87.8 in pass protection. Had a banner game vs. North Carolina (15 carries, 116 yards), including a 65-yard TD run on his first carry of the game.
Junior (2018): Ranked second in the SEC in rushing yards per game (103.7) and led the league in yards per rush (7.9). Had 10 rushes of at least 40 yards and six of 60 or more, leading the league in both. Rushed for at least 100 yards on five occasions. Averaged 95.9 in league play. His 182 yards rushing are a VU record against a league opponent. Graded 60.9 in pass protection according to PFF. Rushed for 172 yards and three TDs in a win at Arkansas. Had 127 rushing yards in a victory over Ole Miss. Had 146 yards rushing and a TD against TSU. Had eight touches for 131 yards and a touchdown in just over a quarter against Florida before an injury forced him from the game. Broke the school's single-game rushing average mark with 13 carries for 243 yards, with three runs over 60 yards and two touchdowns in that game.
Senior (2019): Had four 100-yard rushing games (140 vs. UNLV, 139 vs. ETSU, 138 vs. Northern Illinois, 130 vs. LSU) and added 96 yards and a score in the win over Missouri. Graded 67.0 in pass protection. Scored two touchdowns vs. both ETSU and LSU.
Post-VU: Tampa Bay took Vaughn in Round 3 of the 2020 NFL Draft (76th overall). He's got an excellent shot to enjoy a major role in Tampa next season.
Final thoughts, and why I ranked him where I did: What could Vaughn could have done in an environment that better showcased his skills?
What if VU had just made Vaughn its lead back to start 2018 and turned him loose for 20 carries a game or more? I think the reasons given were pass-protection and health, but Vaughn didn't grade poorly in the first and certainly was healthy enough to see the field more than he did at times, though concussion and shoulder troubles late in the season bore out some of that concern.
As for 2019, what could Vaughn have done with anything resembling competent play-calling, quarterback or offensive line play? It's hard to imagine a major-college back in a worse situation than Vaughn was in last season, and yet he managed 1,000 rushing yards anyway.
Play those seasons out differently, and I think Vaughn easily has 3,000 yards from scrimmage in his two years. Put him on a better team with a better brand, and maybe he's an All-American or even a Heisman Trophy candidate.
In spite of the conditions, everyone who watched Vaughn knew he was a stud. He's got a shot to be one in the NFL, too.
