Clyde Edwards-Helaire, D’Andre Swift, Jonathan Taylor, Cam Akers, and J.K. Dobbins were all names fans of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers wanted to see their team add during the second day of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Even guys like Antonio Gibson and Zack Moss were considered. However, at the end of the day, it was Vanderbilt running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn who joins the franchise to try and help Ronald Jones give the Bucs are spectable running attack in 2020 and beyond.
As is customary, Vaughn was made available to the media, to introduce himself to the reporters and writers who will be covering the start of his NFL career. Bucs Nation was on hand to help welcome him to the franchise.
Right off the bat, Vaughn was asked what he brings to the league as a running back, responding, “I believe I have home run ability as a running back. I can also have that same ability out of the backfield as a pass catcher.”
This should be music to the ears of Bucs fans who watched in peril as the team consistently struggled to find a solid receiving back over recent seasons. Another area of concern in the backfield has been pass blocking as well, an area Vaughn also feels he can help the team improve.
“I’m very comfortable there (in pass blocking). Now knowing that I have Tom Brady as my quarterback I gotta be even more serious about getting that done, and taking that more seriously as far as knowing who I got on certain plays, making sure my technique is good at all times. Because that man that’s throwing the ball, we need him at all times.”
Vaughn started his career in the Big Ten Football Conference with Illinois before transferring to Vanderbilt for the 2018 season. I asked him if he felt playing and producing in two ‘Power-5’ conferences gave him an edge, to which he replied, “Experience is one thing, and that’s kinda something that’s separating me too, I’m a fifth year Senior...I got more experience on the field being kind of more aware as far as football-wise...And then, I come from a team who ran a NFL kind of playbook.”
Fans are going to want to see him perform on the field before fully getting behind Vaughn as their newest running back, but the player himself has no shortage of confidence, saying he’d rank himself as one of the best in the class.