Vaughn moved frequently growing up due to his father's occupation as a college football coach before settling in Round Rock, Texas, and attended Cedar Ridge High School, where he played football and ran track.

He received honorable-mention all-state honors from the Texas Sports Writers Association.

Despite his size, Vaughn was a 3-star recruit who received multiple scholarship offers from programs like Air Force, Arkansas, Army, Kansas, Missouri, North Texas, South Florida, UTSA, and Wyoming, with preferred walk-on offers from Baylor, Oklahoma State, New Mexico, Texas Christian, and Virginia Tech.

[9] He was named the Big 12 Conference Offensive Freshman of the Year and second-team All-Conference.

[10][11] Vaughn entered his sophomore season on the watch list for the Doak Walker Award.

He tallied 130 rushing yards and one touchdown in the Big 12 Championship Game 31–28 overtime victory against TCU.

[18] He had 133 rushing yards, including an 88-yard touchdown, in the 45–20 2022 Sugar Bowl loss against the Alabama.

[21] Vaughn was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the sixth round (212th overall) of the 2023 NFL draft.

Vaughn's father, Chris, played college football at Murray State and is a scout for the Dallas Cowboys after previously working as an assistant coach at Arkansas, Ole Miss, Memphis and Texas.