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It doesn't seem that long ago that Marques Colston was the new guy in town. He was 23 years old, drafted out of a now-defunct football program and totally unprepared for that first summer in the Louisiana heat.

"It was brutal," Colston said.

Colston, one of the last picks of the 2006 NFL draft out of Division I-AA Hofstra, almost ruined his chances with the New Orleans Saints before it began. He was out of shape during minicamp and didn't completely grasp the playbook, giving himself a hill to climb to even make the team.

"Coming from Pennsylvania, it's a totally different climate and adjustment all in itself," he said. "Just having the playbook thrown at you, you're trying to pick everything up."

Colston was outshined during that first part of the summer by Fred Biletnikoff winner Mike Hass, who was cut by the Saints and ended his career in 2010 with the Omaha Nighthawks of the UFL.

"Throughout this time it was bleak, he was on the ground and Mike Hass was running everywhere catching passes," Saints coach Sean Payton said. "Then we got into training camp and Marques was in better shape, he was healthy and all of a sudden with the pads on, he stepped up and by the time we were three weeks into training camp, we felt that we had a starting X (receiver).

"None of us, myself included, would have thought that would have been the case."

Now Colston, who turned 30 on June 5, is eight seasons into his NFL career, and suddenly finds himself one of the sole veterans in the receiving corps. With Devery Henderson gone, Colston and Lance Moore, 29, have at least five seasons of experience on their receiving counterparts. And the gap is considerable after Colston and Moore. Joe Morgan and Parker Preston are both entering their third seasons and caught 10 passes between them last year.

Thirty the age NFL players often dread -- the invisible line between the up-and-comers and those on their way down.

If history is any indication, Moore and Colston will handle "the dreaded 30" with grace.

Read more: New Orleans Saints veteran receiver Marques Colston shows no signs of slowing down | NOLA.com

Rugby Saint II

It's a good thing because he wasn't that fast to begin with.

rezburna

Drew throws him into some horrible situations at times. I'm just glad he's healthy. We can usually count on him to miss a couple games or at least be hampered by something. I think we're going to get ring #2 this year people.

amazin15

Agreed. But I admire Colston for making the catch and never complaining about it. Wish every NFL player was as humble.

RockyMountainSaint

The rest. Just because.


"They've really done things the right way, they're true pros," Brees said following minicamp.

Colston is now one of 14 players on the 90-man roster over 30, and one of the 14 left of the dwindling numbers from the 2009 Super Bowl team.

Contrast that to his rookie year, when 16 players on the 53 man roster were over 30, and seven more were 29.

"These past seven years have flown by so fast," Colston said. "But it's definitely a blessing to be in the situation at this moment."

Perhaps the only thing Colston doesn't have to show for his years are the accolades. Despite having the numbers to back it up, Colston has never made a Pro Bowl or earned All-Pro honors.

The Pro Bowl nominations often went to his flashier, talkative counterparts in Atlanta's Roddy White, Carolina's Steve Smith and Philadelphia's DeSean Jackson. Colston is known for his quiet nature, which often overshadowed him in the era of "diva" wide receivers.

But Colston only continues to improve his numbers. Despite a foot ailment early in the season, he had 1,154 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns -- his best stats since 2007. In November, he broke Deuce McAllister's team record of 55 total touchdowns.

"It couldn't happen to a better guy," McAllister said at the time.

Colston has 532 receptions for 7,394 yards and 58 touchdowns. He is the Saints' all-time leader in touchdowns with 58 and ranks third among all Saints receivers in receiving yards behind Joe Horn and Eric Martin.

It's anyones guess as to how many seasons Colston has ahead of him in the league. He signed a five-year, $40 million contract extension with the Saints in 2012 and has shown no signs of slowing down.

But still, Colston already has plans outside of the NFL if and when the time comes. This year, he became the majority owner of the Harrisburg Stampede, an indoor football team from his hometown in Pennsylvania.

Colston said he's learning on the fly about marketing, advertising and sales. It's an adjustment, but one he's enjoyed.

"I have a partner that I work with that has a pretty strong business background," he said. "We're kind of learning together. I feel like we're picking it up at a good pace."

Colston said his involvement with the team isn't about money, but rather a chance to involve himself in a community and put down roots outside of the NFL, which he knows won't last forever.

"Really, the long term goal is not really based on anything financial," he said.

As for now, his first focus is with the Saints, and the talented group of young receivers he plans to lead by example.

"The best thing I can do for those guys is go out, work hard, and continue to try to improve my craft, just be a resource for those guys as this process unravels," he said after minicamp.

"It's a whirlwind. If you make it through to this part, just learn as much as you can. That's what it's all about right now."

I'm no one.
Who are you?

Crusader

I really hope he can reach 10,000 yards while playing for the Saints.

skymike

30 pfft.
I'd love to be 30.

MARQUES ROCKS!

TheOak

I believe it is a transition issue when it comes to Drew throwing Colston the ball at some opportune moments... Not all of them though.. just some.

When you consistently reply on Jimmy Graham's height AND physical prowess, knowing you can drill it to him in a bad spot and he can muscle it out it becomes rhythmic.

Colston on the other hand can get air like Jimmy but isn't big enough to muscle it out and take the hits like Jimmy... I am not taking anything away from Colston at all but 6'7" 265 vs 6'4" 225 I give a one on one battle between the two to Jimmy all day.

rezburna

He definitely started doing it more with the arrival of Jimmy. You're spot on. He forces the ball to Jimmy a lot.

Budsdrinker

Yeah but Jimmy is taking hits from mostly LB's whereas Colston takes his hits from CB's so I think I would prefer to be Colston.