NATCHITOCHES – Patience is a virtue for many football players, regardless of position, which makes it fitting for Kareame Cotton Jr.
 
In his fourth season at Northwestern State, Cotton's patience has paid dividends equally as much as his versatility, which was never more on display than in the Demons' most recent game.
 
Against Lamar in Northwestern's Oct. 26 Homecoming contest, Cotton caught a pass, led the Demons in rushing and threw for 92 yards after filling in at quarterback when Quaterius Hawkins was injured. Given Cotton's career path since enrolling as a signee from North Little Rock (Arkansas) High School, it comes as little surprise to see Cotton moving around and succeeding in doing so.
 
Cotton redshirted as a true freshman quarterback in 2021 before moving to wide receiver for the first time a year later. He flipped back to quarterback in 2023 ahead of returning to wide receiver this season.
 
"In the world of the transfer portal and things like that, it's not their fault – kids today are bred to be selfish," first-year head coach Blaine McCorkle said. "Kareame has been able to withstand the storms, hang in there and make this place important to him and make it home. We're excited for him to finish his career here next year, and there's no doubt he's going to make a lot of plays for us the rest of this season and next year."
 
Cotton has made his share of plays regardless of where he has found himself on the field.
 
He set up a Northwestern touchdown against Texas A&M-Commerce with a 47-yard grab on third down. During the Demons' Homecoming matchup with Lamar, he helped set up another Demon score with a punishing 21-yard run where he ran through a couple of attempted tacklers.
 
"That's always who I've been as a football player," Cotton said. "Back in high school, I had plenty of runs like that, stiff-arming people, making them look silly. It's something I do when I play football."
 
Despite the explosive plays he has created – Cotton was involved in six of Northwestern's 11 explosives against Lamar – Cotton said it is not necessarily a certain play that stands out in his first year as an on-field contributor.
 
"Just going back to that Tulsa game (on Aug. 28), getting my first college reps and getting the ball," he said. "I had to take in the moment. First college snap – really the first snap of playing football since the last high school game four years ago. It was just taking it all in."
 
Statistically, Cotton ranks sixth on the team with 8 receptions and has rushed six times for 44 yards. He saw his most extensive playing time at quarterback against Lamar, producing four completions of at least 15 yards.
 
For Cotton, the wait to hit the field has proven worthwhile. In doing so, Cotton has become a model for what patience can bring.
 
"You have to commend a kid like that in this day and age who's willing to see a bigger picture, truly put the team above themselves and just believe in their initial decision and weather the storms and the tough times," McCorkle said. "What has happened with the transfer portal is it has given kids an out to run from things when they get tough. That's not what education and the college experience should be about. It should be about surviving tough times and coming out on the other side with your head held high and successful. Kareame's proven you can do that. I'm really proud of him for that. He's a great example for a lot of people, not just on our team but on teams everywhere."
 
Cotton's patience and toughness have been on display for Demon fans for a relatively short time, but he has joined teammate Chance Newman in changing some of the long-held football lexicon.
 
Newman, who like Cotton has bounced between positions, took to calling himself simply a "football player."
 
After shifting between positions for much of his college career – quarterback is where Cotton says he is most comfortable because of his lengthy career at the position – Cotton can commiserate with his teammate.
 
"Football player," Cotton said. "Yeah. I like that."