Marques Colston
The seventh-round draft pick who became the Saints' all-time leader in receiving stats without ever making a Pro Bowl.
Marques E. Colston is an American former professional football player who played wide receiver for the New Orleans Saints. Born June 5, 1983, he was selected by the Saints in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL draft after playing college football at Hofstra. He helped the team win Super Bowl XLIV against the Indianapolis Colts with seven receptions for 83 yards. Colston is the Saints' all-time franchise leader in receiving yards, yards from scrimmage, receiving touchdowns, and total receptions. Despite strong statistics compared to peers like Brandon Marshall and Reggie Wayne, he was never selected for a Pro Bowl or All-Pro Team.
- Role
- Wide Receiver
- Affiliation
- New Orleans Saints
- Draft Year
- 2006
- Super Bowl Win
- XLIV (2010)
- Career Receiving Yards with Saints
- All-time franchise leader
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Colston attended Susquehanna Township High School in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where he lettered in football and track, qualifying for the PIAA Outdoor T&F Championships in javelin. At Hofstra, he recorded a school-record 2,834 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns across four seasons. In 2006, he was the last player drafted from Hofstra before the program discontinued football. As a rookie, he competed for the third receiver spot against Devery Henderson, Lance Moore, and Terrance Copper, leading head coach Sean Payton to trade starter Donte Stallworth. Colston earned NFL All-Rookie Team honors and tied for second in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting.
In Their Own Story
During his rookie season in 2006, Colston made an immediate impact. He scored his first career touchdown on a 12-yard pass from Drew Brees in his debut against the Cleveland Browns. In Week 3, he recorded an 86-yard receiving touchdown against the Carolina Panthers, the Saints' longest since 1999. By Week 8, he caught six passes for 163 yards and two touchdowns against the Baltimore Ravens, earning Diet Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week honors. He followed this with a season-high 11 receptions for 123 yards in a victory over Tampa Bay. Although he sprained his left ankle in Week 11, he finished with 70 receptions, 1,038 receiving yards, and eight touchdowns. In 2009, the Saints reached Super Bowl XLIV as the #1 seed; Colston caught seven passes for 83 yards in the 31–17 victory over Indianapolis.
Reader's Guide
Colston's career included a three-year contract extension signed on July 23, 2008. In 2007, he set a team record with 98 receptions and tied the franchise mark with 11 touchdown receptions. He missed four weeks in 2008 due to a broken thumb but returned to finish with 47 receptions for 760 yards. By 2011, he had achieved his fifth 1,000-yard season, breaking a tie with Joe Horn, and formed the Saints' first duo with over 1,000 receiving yards alongside Jimmy Graham since 2001. In the 2010 playoffs, Colston recorded four receptions for 66 yards in the 'Beast Quake' loss to Seattle. He was ranked 53rd by fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2011.
Did You Know?
- Colston was the seventh player ever drafted out of Hofstra and became the program's last draftee when they discontinued football in 2009.
- Despite having statistics comparable to Pro Bowl players like Brandon Marshall, Colston was never selected for a Pro Bowl or All-Pro Team.
- As a rookie in 2006, he received more votes for Offensive Rookie of the Year than his teammate Reggie Bush, who was drafted second overall.
- Colston qualified for the 2001 PIAA Outdoor T&F Championships in javelin with a top throw of 57.03 meters while in high school.
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