New Orleans Saints wide receiver and Hofstra alumnus Marques Colston, who was voted the Diet Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week for his six-catch, 163-yard, two touchdown performance against the Baltimore Ravens on October 29th, has been selected the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month for October, the NFL announced today.

The 252nd of 255 players selected in the 2006 NFL Draft, Colston led all rookies in October with 373 receiving yards, third-most in the NFL, and four touchdown catches, tied for third in the league.  The former Hofstra standout, who was second in the NFL with a 93.3 yards-per-game average, hauled in 18 catches during the month with 16 resulting in a first-down or touchdown (88.9 percent). 

Colston averaged 20.7 yards per catch in October, the highest average in the league among players with at least 15 receptions.  In New Orleans' four games, Colston posted two 100-yard performances, including a 163-yard game with two touchdowns against Baltimore on October 29, the highest single-game yardage total by a rookie in team history.  The seventh-round selection started the month with a five-catch, 132-yard day versus Carolina on October 1.  During that contest, Colston recorded the longest touchdown reception by a rookie in club history with an 86-yard TD. 

This season, Colston leads all rookies with 577 receiving yards and six touchdown catches.  The 6-4, 231-pound receiver needs 108 yards to become the franchise's all-time leading rookie receiver (Cameron Cleeland, 684 yards, 1998) and with three touchdown catches can pass Donte' Stallworth (8 TDs, 2002) for the club's rookie record.  Colston is second among rookies with 33 receptions, trailing only teammate Reggie Bush (42).

Colston is the first player from Hofstra to be honored as the Rookie of the Month since the award's inception in 1996.

-30-