Vaughn Dunbar

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = Vaughn Dunbar

| number = 32

| position = Running back

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1968|9|4|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Fort Wayne, Indiana, U.S.

| height_ft = 5

| height_in = 10

| weight_lb = 204

| high_school = Fort Wayne (IN) Snider

| college = NE State (OK)
Indiana

| draftyear = 1992

| draftround = 1

| draftpick = 21

| pastteams =

New Orleans Saints ({{NFL Year|1992|1995}})
Jacksonville Jaguars (1995)
San Francisco Demons (2001)

| highlights =

PFWA All-Rookie Team (1992)
Jim Brown Award (1991)
Unanimous All-American (1991)
First-team All-Big Ten (1991)
Second-team All-Big Ten (1990)
1991 Copper Bowl Offensive MVP

| statlabel1 = Rushing yards

| statvalue1 = 935

| statlabel2 = Rushing average

| statvalue2 = 3.5

| statlabel3 = Touchdowns

| statvalue3 = 5

| pfr = DunbVa00

}}

Vaughn Allen Dunbar (born September 4, 1968) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for three seasons. He played college football for the Indiana Hoosiers, and earned consensus All-American accolades. A first-round choice in the 1992 NFL draft, he played professionally for the New Orleans Saints and Jacksonville Jaguars of the NFL.

Early years

Dunbar was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana.National Football League, Historical Players, [http://www.nfl.com/player/vaughndunbar/2500484/profile Vaughn Dunbar]. Retrieved February 25, 2012. He graduated from R. Nelson Snider High School in Fort Wayne,databaseFootball.com, Players, {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20120324205334/http://www.databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=DUNBAVAU01 Vaughn Dunbar]}}. Retrieved February 25, 2012. where he was a standout high school football player for the Snider Panthers.

College career

Dunbar first attended Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College, before accepting an athletic scholarship to attend Indiana University Bloomington and play for the Hoosiers teams in 1990 and 1991. His smooth and shifty running style and physique reminded many commentators of Florida's Emmitt Smith. With 4.5/4.6 speed in the 40-yard dash, Dunbar made up for the lack of explosive speed with "between the tackles toughness," outstanding balance and vision. He was one of the first in college to wear a reflective/shaded facemask visor making it difficult for Big Ten defenders to see where his eyes were looking.

Dunbar and fellow Hoosier running back Anthony Thompson brought national media attention to the Hoosiers' often overlooked football program. As a senior in 1991, he was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American and finished sixth in Heisman Trophy balloting after being ranked second in the nation in rushing yards per game.

1990: 250 carries for 1,224 yards with 13 TD. 16 catches for 122 yards.
1991: 364 carries for 1,805 yards with 12 TD. 29 catches for 263 yards.

Professional career

{{NFL predraft

| height ft = 5

| height in = 9 5/8

| weight = 204

| dash = 4.55

| ten split = 1.60

| twenty split = 2.65

| shuttle = 4.19

| vertical = 35.0

| broad ft = 10

| broad in = 0

| bench = 17

| arm span = 31

| hand span = 9 3/8

}}

The New Orleans Saints selected Dunbar in the first round, 21st pick overall, of the NFL draft.{{Cite web |title=1992 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1992/draft.htm |access-date=2023-05-07 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} He played for the Saints in {{NFL Year|1992}} and again in {{NFL Year|1994}} and {{NFL Year|1995}}.{{Cite web |title=Vaughn Dunbar Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/D/DunbVa00.htm |access-date=2024-03-06 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} He finished his NFL career with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 1995. In his three NFL seasons, he compiled 965 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 267 carries.

Dunbar was subsequently the sixth overall draft pick of the XFL's San Francisco Demons in 2001.{{cite news|title=Ex-Bucs quarterbacks a focus in first draft|work=Tampa Bay Times|first=John C.|last=Cotey|page=9C|date=October 29, 2000}} He started all games for the first 4 weeks but was released after gaining just 29 yards on 25 carries.{{Cite web |title=XFL San Francisco Demons Press Release 19 |url=http://www.all-xfl.com/sanfranciscodemons/pressrow/archive/release19.shtml |website=All XFL}} He subsequently retired from professional football.

Life after football

Dunbar now works for Precision Hose, Inc.{{cite web|url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/vaughn-dunbar-7b2051244/ | title=Vaughn Dunbar, LinkedIn}} in Stone Mountain, Georgia.{{cite web|url=http://www.all-xfl.com/sanfranciscodemons/team/roster/vaughndunbar.htm | title=San Francisco Demons Roster - Vaughn Dunbar}}