Today's UteNation Countdown to Kickoff includes a double dose at no. 16. It’s also good time use use this as a reminder that the countdown covers scholarship player who were at minimum here for spring ball. It also includes former walkon who are being looked at for crucial roles. In this article, we take a closer look at a freak athlete, Zemaiah Vaughn.

The sophomore walked on in 2020 and played in four games that season, including a big interception against Washington. He performed well enough to earn a scholarship and then played in 13 games in 2021, with four starts. Originally playing safety, Vaughn made the transition to cornerback last season, and he’ll play a key role in the 2022 season.

UteNation Take

At 6-foot-2, Vaughn has elite size for a cornerback. Combine that with his 4.3-second 40-yard dash speed, and Coach Sharrieff Shah has himself a shining example of Utah’s player development efforts. Vaughn's name has not produced the same level of attention like Clark Phillips III or JaTravis Broughton. However, Vaughn was emerging as a crucial piece of Utah’s defense, before a fluke season-ending injury in the Pac-12 Championship Game.

Now fully recovered, Zemaiah's talent is one that Utah will get him onto the field as much as possible, despite Phillips and Broughton being the anticipated starters. Vaughn has the unique perspective as a quarterback from his high school days, giving him a little bit more insight than most cornerbacks. The coaching staff has been extremely high on Vaughn, so his development will be one to keep a close eye on.

Remembering Vaughn's Recruitment

Vaughn committed to Lamar University as a dual-threat quarterback out of Beaumont United HS. He then followed with a stunner, turning down the scholarship offer to be a preferred walkon at the University of Utah. The reason was simple, when Scalley sees something in you, you listen. That’s something especially known by diamond-in-the-rough prospects out of Texas.

Vaughn then played well enough to receive a scholarship on the first day of 2021 fall camp.