Tag: keshawn vaughn

WATCH: Ke’Shawn Vaughn TD gives Bucs lead vs. Colts

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have the lead back in their preseason finale against the Indianapolis Colts, courtesy of Ke’Shawn Vaughn

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have the lead back in their preseason finale against the Indianapolis Colts, courtesy of third-year running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn.

Vaughn capped off an impressive drive with a one-yard touchdown run, giving the Bucs a 10-7 advantage in the second quarter.

Doing his best to make sure he makes the final roster, Vaughn had multiple carries of more than 10 yards on the drive, and finished it off by getting into the end zone himself.

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WATCH: Bucs RB Ke’Shawn Vaughn caps off impressive TD drive vs. Dolphins

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have found the end zone for the second straight drive against the Miami Dolphins

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have extended their lead over the Miami Dolphins in Saturday night’s preseason opener, thanks to an impressive drive orchestrated by quarterback Kyle Trask.

Trask completed five of his six passes for 67 yards on the drive, which was finished off by running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn, who vaulted into the end zone to give the Bucs a 14-3 lead in the second quarter.

After a rough first drive on offense, the Bucs have looked solid on both sides of the ball, and now have a two-score advantage thanks to back-to-back touchdown drives.

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Ke’Shawn Vaughn tweets a message to all his doubters

Buccaneers rookie running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn posted a message on Twitter to all the haters out there.

The Buccaneers’ passing attack has been the bread and butter of their offense for years, and with Tom Brady now under center that should continue in 2020.

The backfield has been a different story, however. Last season, Tampa Bay finished 24th in rushing, averaging 95.1 yards per game. Despite a solid season by Ronald Jones — 172 rushes for 724 yards and six touchdowns — the team opted to use their third-round pick in April’s NFL draft on Vanderbilt running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn.

The move surprised some, but the Bucs seem to like Vaughn’s ability to catch out of the backfield. Vaughn, himself, has heard the chatter and hate, and took to Twitter today with a message for all his doubters.

Take a look.

Fantasy football players might not want to overlook Vaughn either. Analytics expert Cynthia Frelund over at NFL.com predicted the Vanderbilt alum could be a major contributor as a rookie.

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Check out Ronald Jones’ insane workout in 105 degree weather

Buccaneers RB Ronald Jones’ latest workout video will make you sweat.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers seem all but set at the receiver and tight end positions, with a plethora of talent to help make Tom Brady’s transition to a new team all the more easier.

The six-time Super Bowl champion will have Mike Evans and Chris Godwin to work with, along with former Patriots teammate Rob Gronkowski and tight ends O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate.

The running back position is a different story, however. The team seems committed right now to letting third-year back Ronald Jones enter the season as the starter. Last year, Jones rushed for 724 yards and six touchdowns in his sophomore campaign. A solid outing, but Tampa Bay wanted to add more depth and insurance this offseason, which is why they invested a third-round pick in April’s NFL draft on Vanderbilt running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn.

But if you thought the drafting of Vaughn was going to throw a wet blanket on Jones’ work ethic this offseason, think again. Check out this latest video of the Bucs running back working out with a little uphill run.

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Bucs RB Ke’Shawn Vaughn ran all over LSU last year

Tampa Bay rookie running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn had one of his best games of 2019 against the LSU Tigers.

The LSU Tigers ended last season as champions of college football in what will go down as one of the most historic seasons in recent memory. Not only did the Tigers go 15-0, but quarterback Joe Burrow threw an insane 60 touchdowns to just six interceptions while securing the Heisman Trophy.

And while LSU rolled over many opponents during their championship run, some players on opposing teams had big performances against the Tigers, which were overshadowed by blowout losses.

Prime example? Former Vanderbilt running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn, who was selected in the third round of April’s NFL draft by the Buccaneers. Vaughn finished his senior season at Vandy with 1,028 rushing yards and nine touchdowns to go along with 270 receiving yards and a score. And one of his best performances came in a 66-38 loss to LSU back in September. Vaughn finished that game with 20 carries for 130 yards and two touchdowns.

Take a look at some highlights of Vaughn from that game.

While his Commodores were on the wrong end of a lopsided loss, Vaughn’s dominance against the best team in the country should have Buccaneers fans excited about what he’ll bring to the table this season against NFL defenses. As Cynthia Frelund of NFL Network recently wrote, Vaughn could potentially be the surprise star of this year’s running back class.

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Why Ke’Shawn Vaughn could be ‘the surprise star of this running back class’

See why Cynthia Frelund of NFL Network believes Bucs rookie running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn could have a big year in 2020.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers addressed their biggest need in round one of April’s NFL draft when they selected Iowa offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs with the 13th overall pick. The former Hawkeye will join a line that will be tasked with keeping prized offseason investment Tom Brady upright.

But the Bucs also used the draft to take care of another glaring offensive issue, which was their backfield. Despite a solid sophomore campaign from 2018 second-round pick Ronald Jones, Tampa Bay wanted some more insurance at the running back position, especially after Peyton Barber bolted for the nation’s capital in free agency when he signed a two-year deal with the Washington Redskins.

Tampa Bay used their third-round pick in the 2020 draft on Vanderbilt running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn in a move that surprised some, considering Utah running back Zack Moss was still available and ranked ahead of Vaughn on many boards. But the Bucs liked what they saw in Vaughn, especially his potential to catch out of the backfield, something Brady wants in his running backs.

Perhaps it is for that reason that NFL Network analytics expert Cynthia Frelund ranked Vaughn third on her list of seven rookie running backs who could have big years in 2020. 

Per Frelund:

“Another back with enough upside to potentially lead this list by season’s end, Vaughn is currently my No. 28 overall RB in terms of PPR fantasy projections. Over the past two seasons, Vaughn led the SEC with an average of 4.4 yards per rush after contact (min. 100 rushes, per PFF). Vaughn’s receiving skills and Tom Brady’s short passing game (155 targets to backs in 2019 — second-most among NFL QBs, according to PFF) match well. Should Vaughn be able to eat into enough of Ronald Jones II’s snaps, he could end up as the surprise star of this running back class.”

Fantasy football owners, pay attention.

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Vandy coach compares Ke’Shawn Vaughn to Richard Sherman

Vanderbilt football coach Derek Mason told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler what he thinks makes new Bucs RB Ke’Shawn Vaughn so special.

The 2020 NFL draft allowed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to shore up their offensive line by taking Iowa OT Tristan Wirfs with the 13th overall pick. But the Bucs were also able to address their need for help in the backfield by selecting Vanderbilt running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn with their pick in round three.

Vaughn’s selection surprised some, considering Utah running back Zack Moss was still on the board and rated higher than Moss. But the Bucs believe that Vaughn will be the perfect fit in their new-look offense led by quarterback Tom Brady.

Vaughn’s former college football coach, Derek Mason, spoke to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN and told him why Vaughn will be a great fit in Tampa Bay.

Per Mason:

“Ke will play a long time, in my opinion. He’s different and he has that same chip as Richard Sherman. His drive is big, but his love and IQ for the game is special. He will be fun to watch. Had no fumbles in two years, and a ton of touchdowns.”

No fumbles and tons of touchdowns? I’ll take it.

Vaughn will also be used in the passing game out of the backfield, something Brady likes to do with running backs.

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Jeremy Fowler thinks RB Ke’Shawn Vaughn could have surprise fantasy value

See why Jeremy Fowler of ESPN believes Bucs rookie running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn could have fantasy value in 2020.

Leading up to the 2020 NFL draft, the majority of mocks had the Bucs taking an offensive tackle in round one, something that seemed all but certain after the team signed six-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady. And, many mocks felt the Bucs would continue to make upgrades on offense in round two by selecting a running back.

While the Bucs did take an OT in round one in the form of Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs, they opted for defense in round two by drafting Minnesota safety Antoine Winfield Jr. Ultimately, Tampa Bay addressed their backfield in round three by selecting Vanderbilt running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn. The move surprised some, considering top-ranked running back Zack Moss was still available. But the Bucs like the potential Vaughn displays and think he’ll be a great fit for Tom Brady.

Jeremy Fowler of ESPN even  predicted that Vaughn could have some surprise value in fantasy football this season.

Per Fowler:

“Tom Brady loves a good running game, and the Bucs thought enough of Vaughn to draft him instead of trading for Leonard Fournette. Vaughn plays with an edge and doesn’t fumble, traits that could earn him valuable touches in a backfield with Ronald Jones.”

Jones had a solid 2019 campaign, finishing the year with 724 yards and six touchdowns. Vaughn will provide more support in the passing game, too, and Brady loves throwing to his backs. Vaughn might be worth a gamble for fantasy owners in the later rounds.

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Chad Reuter thinks Bucs could’ve benefited more by going defense in Round 3

NFL.com’s Chad Reuter believes the Buccaneers could’ve benefited more by going D in round three instead of reaching on a running back.

The Buccaneers grabbed Minnesota safety Antoine Winfield Jr. in round two of last night’s draft, a move many people liked given Winfield’s ball-hawking skills and ability to be all over the field.

In round three, Tampa Bay decided to an a back to their offense, going for Vanderbilt running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn. Vaughn was chosen ahead of Utah’s Zack Moss, who was ranked higher than Vaughn on many pre-draft boards, but Tampa Bay seems to like Vaughn’s potential out of the backfield, especially in the passing game.

But in his Day 2 grades, Chad Reuter of NFL.com felt Vaughn was a reach by the Bucs, and thinks Tampa Bay could’ve benefited more by drafting a defender, which might be why he gave them just a B.

Per Reuter:

“Winfield’s playmaking skills overcame his lack of size (5-9) and any other fears teams may have had about him. Bucs fans will appreciate his ability for years to come. Vaughn is a solid back who was probably picked a little too early. He should be a strong four-year contributor though, because his versatile skill set will allow him to affect multiple facets of the offense. The Vandy star, or another back with similar abilities, may have been available later; the team might have benefited more from prioritizing a pass rusher in the third round.”

I’ll defer to Bruce Arians and Jason Licht on the Vaughn pick. It’s clear the team saw something special in him and view him as the perfect fit in their new-look offense.

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This Ke’Shawn Vaughn highlight should get Bucs fans excited

Take a look at new Bucs running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn’s playmaking ability out of the backfield.

The Buccaneers needed backfield help and they found it in third-round pick Ke’Shawn Vaughn.

The Vanderbilt running back will join Ronald Jones as part of a revamped Tampa Bay offense that will feature quarterback Tom Brady and tight end Rob Gronkowski.

One of the things the Bucs liked most about Vaughn was his pass-catching ability, and this highlight below from his Vanderbilt days should get Bucs fans excited about what he can bring to the table in 2020.

Take a look.

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