Vickiel Vaughn
Encyclopedia
Vickiel Vaughn is an American football
safety who is currently a free agent
. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers
in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Arkansas
. He is currently playing for the Arkansas Diamonds in the Indoor Football League.
Vaughn has also been a member of the Denver Broncos
and Dallas Cowboys
.
in Plano, Texas. He was rated as one of the nation’s top 25 football players by The Sporting News
and one of the top 125 by USA Today
. He caught 25 passes for 414 yards and five touchdowns as a senior wide receiver
. He racked up 67 tackles and six interceptions in his final prep campaign on defense. He made four interceptions as a junior before tearing his right ACL
. He ranked as the sixth safety in the nation by Rivals100.com and rated as the ninth safety in the country by Max Emfinger. He was a member of Tom Lemming’s Prep Football All-American team]. He made SuperPrep’s All-American squad and was rated the second defensive back in the nation by the same publication. He participated in the 2002 U.S. Army All-American Bowl
Game in San Antonio, Texas
.
. He made a solo tackle in the regular season finale against LSU
. He had one solo stop against Minnesota
in the Music City Bowl
.
In 2003, after spending his first season as a free safety, he moved in fall camp to the wolf linebacker
position. He played in all 13 games with a large majority of his early-season action coming on special teams. He ranked second on the team with 10 special teams tackles.
He had 23 tackles and one interception on the season. He was tied for second on the squad with two forced fumbles. He played extensively against Kentucky
earning four tackles and his first career tackle for loss against the Wildcats. He had five tackles against South Carolina
. He made two big plays on a USC
fourth-quarter drive to keep the Gamecocks out of the end zone. On third down, he made a touchdown-saving pass break up near the Razorback goal line. Then on fourth down, he forced a fumble that was recovered to halt the scoring drive.
In 2004, he played in 11 games with 10 starts. He started the first seven of eight contests at free safety before starting the final three contests at strong safety. He led the Razorbacks with 66 tackles, including 47 solo stops. His 6.0 tackles per game average ranked 26th in the Southeastern Conference
. He was tied for the team lead with two interceptions (92 yards). His 92 yards in interception returns ranked third in the SEC. He also tallied three pass deflections, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. He recorded eight or more tackles in four of his final six contests. He posted a career-high 10 tackles against Texas. He earned his first collegiate start at free safety against Missouri State
in the season opener and registered three solo tackles. He came off the bench to turn in one of the best game of his career against Auburn
where he had nine tackles, including seven solo stops, a fumble recovery and an interception against the Tigers.
As a senior in 2005, Vaughn finished second on the team with 83 tackle
s. He had four interceptions, returning one for a touchdown
and recovered one fumble
. He had 10 tackles, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery against Missouri State
. He led team with 11 tackles and two passes defensed against Vanderbilt
. He had eight tackles against Alabama
. He returned one interception for a 52-yard score against South Carolina
. He had six tackles, one pass defensed and two interceptions against LSU
.
at Little Rock Central. His sisters, Rochelle and Brittney, play on the Lady Razorback basketball team. He is enrolled in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences and is majoring in sociology
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
safety who is currently a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL Draft
2006 NFL Draft
The 2006 National Football League Draft, the 71st in league history, took place in New York City at Radio City Music Hall on April 29 and April 30, 2006. For the 27th consecutive year, the draft was telecast on ESPN and ESPN2, with additional coverage offered by ESPNU and, for the first time, by...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Arkansas
Arkansas Razorbacks football
The Arkansas Razorbacks football program is a college football team that represents the University of Arkansas. The team is a member of the Southeastern Conference's Western Division, which is in Division I's Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
. He is currently playing for the Arkansas Diamonds in the Indoor Football League.
Vaughn has also been a member of the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
.
Early years
Vaughn attended Plano West Senior High SchoolPlano West Senior High School
Plano West Senior High School is a public secondary school in Plano, Texas serving high school juniors and seniors. The school is part of the Plano Independent School District, with admission based primarily on the locations of students' homes. Students at Plano West attended one of two high...
in Plano, Texas. He was rated as one of the nation’s top 25 football players by The Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
and one of the top 125 by USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
. He caught 25 passes for 414 yards and five touchdowns as a senior wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
. He racked up 67 tackles and six interceptions in his final prep campaign on defense. He made four interceptions as a junior before tearing his right ACL
Anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament is a cruciate ligament which is one of the four major ligaments of the human knee. In the quadruped stifle , based on its anatomical position, it is referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament.The ACL originates from deep within the notch of the distal femur...
. He ranked as the sixth safety in the nation by Rivals100.com and rated as the ninth safety in the country by Max Emfinger. He was a member of Tom Lemming’s Prep Football All-American team]. He made SuperPrep’s All-American squad and was rated the second defensive back in the nation by the same publication. He participated in the 2002 U.S. Army All-American Bowl
U.S. Army All-American Bowl
The U.S. Army All-American Bowl is a high school football all-star game held in early January in San Antonio, Texas. Currently played in the Alamodome, the game brings 90 of the nation's top high school football players in an East versus West matchup. In addition to the Bowl game, there is the U.S...
Game in San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
.
College career
Vaughn appeared in all 14 games for Arkansas as a true freshman in 2002. His mainstay was on special teams. He was on the punt return and kickoff coverage squads. He made three tackles on the season including two in special teams action. He earned his first collegiate stop with a solo tackle against South FloridaUniversity of South Florida
The University of South Florida, also known as USF, is a member institution of the State University System of Florida, one of the state's three flagship universities for public research, and is located in Tampa, Florida, USA...
. He made a solo tackle in the regular season finale against LSU
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
. He had one solo stop against Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
in the Music City Bowl
Music City Bowl
The Music City Bowl is a post-season American college football bowl game certified by the NCAA that has been played in Nashville, Tennessee, since 1998.-Site:The first Music City Bowl was played at Vanderbilt Stadium in 1998...
.
In 2003, after spending his first season as a free safety, he moved in fall camp to the wolf linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
position. He played in all 13 games with a large majority of his early-season action coming on special teams. He ranked second on the team with 10 special teams tackles.
He had 23 tackles and one interception on the season. He was tied for second on the squad with two forced fumbles. He played extensively against Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
earning four tackles and his first career tackle for loss against the Wildcats. He had five tackles against South Carolina
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
. He made two big plays on a USC
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
fourth-quarter drive to keep the Gamecocks out of the end zone. On third down, he made a touchdown-saving pass break up near the Razorback goal line. Then on fourth down, he forced a fumble that was recovered to halt the scoring drive.
In 2004, he played in 11 games with 10 starts. He started the first seven of eight contests at free safety before starting the final three contests at strong safety. He led the Razorbacks with 66 tackles, including 47 solo stops. His 6.0 tackles per game average ranked 26th in the Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
. He was tied for the team lead with two interceptions (92 yards). His 92 yards in interception returns ranked third in the SEC. He also tallied three pass deflections, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. He recorded eight or more tackles in four of his final six contests. He posted a career-high 10 tackles against Texas. He earned his first collegiate start at free safety against Missouri State
Missouri State University
Missouri State University is a public university located in Springfield, Missouri, United States and founded in 1905. It is the state's second largest university, with an official enrollment of 20,802 in fall 2011...
in the season opener and registered three solo tackles. He came off the bench to turn in one of the best game of his career against Auburn
Auburn Tigers
Auburn Tigers is the name given to Auburn University athletic teams. The University is a member of the Southeastern Conference and competes in NCAA Division I, fielding 19 varsity teams in 13 sports:* Men's sports** Baseball** Basketball...
where he had nine tackles, including seven solo stops, a fumble recovery and an interception against the Tigers.
As a senior in 2005, Vaughn finished second on the team with 83 tackle
Tackle (football move)
Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend....
s. He had four interceptions, returning one for a touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
and recovered one fumble
Fumble
A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player, who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession...
. He had 10 tackles, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery against Missouri State
Missouri State University
Missouri State University is a public university located in Springfield, Missouri, United States and founded in 1905. It is the state's second largest university, with an official enrollment of 20,802 in fall 2011...
. He led team with 11 tackles and two passes defensed against Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...
. He had eight tackles against Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
. He returned one interception for a 52-yard score against South Carolina
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
. He had six tackles, one pass defensed and two interceptions against LSU
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
.
Personal
Vaughn is the son of Ezekiel and Vickie Vaughn. His father played football with Arkansas Coach Houston NuttHouston Nutt
Houston Dale Nutt, Jr. is an American football coach and former player. Most recently he was the head football coach at the University of Mississippi from 2008 to 2011. Previously, he served as the head coach at Murray State University , Boise State University , and the University of Arkansas...
at Little Rock Central. His sisters, Rochelle and Brittney, play on the Lady Razorback basketball team. He is enrolled in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences and is majoring in sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
.