Marques Colston’s time in New Orleans might soon expire, but what the 2006 seventh-round pick accomplished in his 10 seasons with the Saints should not be overlooked.
Despite the fact 251 players were drafted ahead of him a decade ago, the Hofstra product ranks in the top 50 all time in terms of catches, yards and touchdowns.
He’s gone over 750 yards in nine of his 10 seasons and has scored at least four touchdowns in all 10. He’s also hit the 1,000-yard mark six times and is a couple good games away from becoming the 42nd receiver in NFL history to go over 10,000 yards.
In the first 10 years of their career, only 18 receivers have caught more passes than Colston. But only three of the top 33 ranked players in that category — Colston, Wes Welker and Rod Smith — were drafted lower than Round 4. Smith, who wasn’t drafted at all, is the only player not drafted in the first four rounds who has amassed more receiving yards than Colston during the first 10 years of a career, and nobody in modern league history picked as low as Colston has had as many receiving touchdowns at the 10-year mark.
He’s one of 28 receivers with 50-plus catches in eight or more of their first 10 seasons. He’s one of just 12 with 750-plus receiving yards in nine or more of their first 10 seasons. And he’s one of only six with four-plus touchdowns in every single one of their first 10 seasons. Consistently productive, reliable and sometimes deadly.
Colston’s nickname, “The Quiet Storm,” couldn’t be more apt.
It’s just a shame he’s 32 and has somehow yet to make a Pro Bowl.
