Steal of draft? How about Saints’ Colston?

NEW ORLEANS – Marques Colston’s rise from little known Division I-AA prospect to one of Drew Brees’ go-to receivers has been so sudden, even his coach couldn’t see it coming.

“If we loved him we would have drafted him in the third round or the fourth round, so we liked him,” Saints coach Sean Payton said of the seventh-rounder out of Division I-AA Hofstra. Payton’s eyes were smiling as if he’d just been dealt 21 at a blackjack table.

“We thought he had all those tools that are necessary and yet there’s that uncertainty as to all the other things. So I’m excited about a young player.”

Colston made four clutch catches in the Saints’ season-opening victory over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. All came on third downs — three for first downs, the other for New Orleans’ only touchdown.

He was not even certain to make the roster on draft day, yet Colston strolled calmly from the end zone after his first NFL touchdown. His veteran quarterback was the one who looked like the excitable rookie, leaping up to smack the 6-foot-4 receiver on the helmet and shoulder pads.

 

HUT, HUT, HUT, OUCH YOU STABBED ME!!

GREELEY, Colo. — The University of Northern Colorado’s reserve punter was arrested Tuesday, accused of stabbing his rival in his kicking leg.

Mitch Cozad, a sophomore from Wheatland, Wyo., allegedly attacked starting punter Rafael Mendoza in a parking lot in Evans on Monday night, Evans police Lt. Gary Kessler said.

Mendoza, the Bears’ first-string punter from Thornton, was treated and released from the North Colorado Medical Center Monday night. Coach Scott Downing said Mendoza will not punt for UNC in Saturday’s game at Texas State University.

“I don’t know how long he’ll be out because I haven’t talked to the doctor,” Downing said.

Cozad, Mendoza and freshman Zak Bigelow had been in a three-way race for the starting punter’s job in preseason training. Mendoza has averaged 37.6 yards per punt on nine punts in the two games so far this season.

Cozad is facing second-degree assault charges and was scheduled to appear in court Wednesday for a bond hearing. He was suspended from the team, evicted from his residence and expelled from school on Tuesday, The Greeley Tribune reported.