What fuels 5-foot-5 Deuce Vaughn’s inspirational Dallas Cowboys, NFL journey?

From the emotional draft day video that warmed the hearts of millions to viral videos from Dallas Cowboys training camp that have brought “oohs and aahs” from fans and teammates alike, Deuce Vaughn remains a huge source of intrigue.

His 5-foot-5 frame is hard to miss behind 6-2 quarterback Dak Prescott or 6-5 left tackle Tyron Smith.

Actually, he’s easy to miss, which was the foundation of his success at Kansas State, where he led the nation with 1,936 yards from scrimmage and 12 touchdowns last season.

But it also makes him easy to overlook, underrate and castoff, which were part of the tears behind the heartwarming draft day video when the disappointed, dejected and passed over two-time consensus All-American received a phone call from his dad, Cowboys scout Chris Vaughn, to ask him to come to work as the team’s sixth-round pick.

“People are still talking about,” Vaughn said. “It’s unreal. And being able to share it at home with my mom. I never would have thought that I’d be in the same position as my dad. We never talked about it throughout the draft process. For it to have have gone down like that, for him to be in the same organization with me, it’s huge. It is one of the things you dream about.

“It doesn’t get much better. It’s hard to put into words.”

Those are similar thoughts that fans have when watching Vaughn out on the practice field, darting under, through and around defenders with those choppy steps on that small frame.

Consider Prescott impressed and excited to get the ball to him as one of the reserve running backs behind starter Tony Pollard.

“He’s got some stuff. He’s special,” Prescott said. “He’s another receiver, one of the best probably pass-catchers, or most natural pass catchers I can say that we have on the team.

Just with his height, obviously he’s going to be tough. He’s going to be tough for guys to tackle. This is a league that guys don’t wrap up a lot, so he’s going to bounce off a lot of those. Got great balance and just being able to use his size and hide behind blocks and get into the holes.”

Defensive linemen and linebackers not being able to find him and his ability to use that as his advantage are things that fascinates coach Mike McCarthy, who has spent the summer looking for ways to get Vaughn in space.

“What I love about him is his his his patience, because confidence he has in his body control and quickness,” McCarthy said. ”He has a real instinct to pass protection not that we want him blocking 250-pound guys all day but he’s a very instinctive player. He’s dynamic ball with the ball. But I really liked his instincts and awareness in the little things with pass protection.”

For those who wonder about Vaughn in pass protection, it’s not something the Cowboys want to do all the time. But he made it work in a college and has shown no fear for putting his head in the chest of a blitzing linebacker in training camp.

Vaughn has been fearless on the football field his entire life.

“I’ve always been the smallest player,” Vaughn said. ”I don’t know anything else. I love this game. And when it’s time to go put your hat on somebody, that is football. I’m going to run run 100%, full speed into it. And whatever happens happens. Then you get get up and do it again. I’ve always been like that.”

And he learned how to use his size to his advantage long ago as well.

“I’ve been this height my entire life,” Vaughn said. “So to be able to hone on my ability and learn how to use my body. Not take some big hits. Just because I’m a smaller surface, take on half a man whenever you’re inside of hole or if you’re out wide being able to do things just actually save your body. And I was able to do that for my three years at Kansas State. And just looking forward to to gaining on that.”

And yet even after those three seasons when Vaughn left with school records for receptions and receiving yards for a running back and second in rushing, there were doubters.

Consider that former Texas running back Bijan Robinson, who was picked eighth overall by the Atlanta Falcons, rushed for 57 yards and 29 yards in losses to Alabama and TCU respectively last season.

Meanwhile, Vaughn had 130 rushing yards in a Big 12 title game victory against TCU and 133 yards in Sugar Bowl loss to Alabama in his last two games.

He doesn’t compare himself to Robinson, whom he said was the best college back all season. But to be drafted six rounds later is part of his life story.

“I have always been underrated,” Vaughn said. “Coming out of high school, I was a three-star recruit. I maybe had four offers. Always underrated. I’ve always had to prove that could play football. I’ve been doing this for a very very long time.”

And just like Vaughn has doubters, he also earned a legion of fans. He was inspired by the diminutive NFL-likes of Darren Sproles and Danny Woodhead. Vaughn knows he gives average to smaller size football players the courage to play on.

“You just have to see that and I see myself in that light,” Vaughn said. “And people direct message me and people come up to me and say you’re an inspiration for me being an undersized guy that plays football. It’s huge. It’s one of the things that keeps me going, one of the things that makes me work so hard. I understand there’s a lot of people that that look up to me.”

Now Vaughn can’t wait to take the field on Saturday for the preseason opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars at AT&T Stadium with his mom in the stands and his dad beaming with pride.

He just wants to play football, where he can prove again that he’s no NFL novelty act or circus side show.

“I’m excited to get back out and play football right,” Vaughn said. “It’s been since since December 31 in the bowl game [against Alabama] since I played football, full speed. It’s been a long offseason with the pre draft and the post draft, OTAs and now getting the training camp. You are ready to cut it loose again. I’m ready to go. And I’m super excited.”

One thing is certain, Vaughn videos will go viral again.