“They already know you’re the best. You just have to go and prove it to them.”

Thomas Morstead’s little brother, a sophomore at SMU, said these very words to his brother before the SMU punter/ kicker departed for the NFL Combine.

“You have to feel like you’re the best. As soon as you stop thinking you’re the best, I don’t know how you can go out and compete if you don’t think you’re the best.”

Already establishing himself as a rising star, Morstead was just one of three specialists that kicked field goals and punted. It showed that I can be used in case of an emergency in case somebody gets hurts.

Starting on Feb.17 and running through the 25th, the NFL Combine hosts the 2009 NFL Draft prospects from all over the country. Hundreds of college players are invited by the NFL Scouting Combine to perform in front of team executives, coaches, scouts and doctors from every NFL team.

“I was licking my chops just to be able to go out and compete because in my mind I’m the best there is,” said Morstead. “I had the best day as far as the competition went, I had the biggest punt of the day as well.”

Drills included the 40-yard dash, bench press, vertical jump, broad jump, three cone drill and shuttle run. For Morstead, he only had 14 kicks to show his pro-worthy skills.

One of six punters to receive an invitation to the Combine, Morstead was among just 13 special teams players participating in the drills. To put it in perspective, 20 quarterbacks and 32 running backs were present.

Only one other special teams player from Conference USA was present. Jose Martinez, of the University of Texas at El Paso also competed in the Combine as a kicker.

Over the last two years, Morstead’s football career has sky rocketed. A native from Houston, the 6-foot-5, 225 pound punter never thought he would make it this far into becoming pro.

“I kept hearing all these people chirping in my ear about ‘Where are you going to go?’ or ‘Oh, you’re going to get drafted.” People start being your friends that weren’t your friends before” explained Morstead.

For someone who admitted to hated entering a weight room, Morstead hardly seems to mind the sweat and pain that goes into fine-tuning his skills.

While never one to doubt his own abilities, it was the inspiration Morstead drew from others that sparked his dream of playing with the pros.

“[Former teammate] Andrew McKinney came up to me freshman year and said ‘Dude, stop being such a wimp. You’ve got the highest pitched voice I’ve ever heard. You’re going to be in the NFL one day. I’ve never seen anyone punt like you.”

Explaining he was lacking confidence at the start of his career and 60 pounds on his muscular frame, Morstead credits McKinney for “seeing something” in his ability.

While playing under former SMU head coach Phil Bennett, the players received red and blue wrist bands with the letters, “WWBND” standing for “we will not be denied.” Despite going 1-11 in the 2007 season, Morstead led the Mustangs to having the second best punt team in the nation.

“I felt unstoppable, like I always had a positive outlook that we would win the game,” said Morstead.

Taking the band off his left wrist at the end of the season nearly two years ago, Morstead stumbled across the band in the days leading up to hi departure for Indianapolis.

“It made me feel like I felt before. I felt like I wasn’t going to be denied what I am after,” said Morstead. “It helps me to keep my mind set that I am the best guy in my position.”

The last punter to perform, as Morstead walked out a man in a suit called out “Okay, we’re live. Go ahead and kick” as Morstead waited the snap.

“I looked down and saw the band and told myself, ‘This is what you’ve been waiting for, for five years now,” said Morstead.

Morstead’s potential professional career started with an invitation to the Under Armor Senior Bowl in January. Fueled by his own competitive spirit and determination, Morstead has developed into one of the most sought-after kickers in the nation.

Having already interviewed with scouts from the New England Patriots, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets and the Miami Dolphins during the Senior Bowl, Morstead has expressed interest in remaining in the South, but understand the needs for a kicker farther North with the cold, wet weather and high amount of turnovers.

“You’re not going to here me say where I want to go,” said Morstead. “There’s pluses and minuses to going anywhere. It would be nice to stay in the South where I have family, though.”

In the first two days of the Combine, Morstead was subjected to dozens of medical tests and procedures as nurses and doctors. On day two, all of the athletes were required to line up in front of all the league’s coaches in just a pair of “sliders” as they had physicals performed on them by every groups of doctors representing each team from the league.

“I was lucky because I don’t have any injury history so I didn’t have to stay that long,” explained Morstead, “but basically anything any one team would want to know about you, you had to get done.”

Pro Day, about three weeks before the Draft, will be Morstead’s last chance to prove to the pros that he deserves a spot on a 53 active man roster. For others, some athletes return to their respective hometowns to quickly perform in their Pro Day.

Morstead’s Pro Day will be on April 2. Falling within the opening days of Spring Training for the SMU football team, the soon to be alum feels fortunate in having his debut day nearly five weeks after the Combine.

“Once your Pro Day is done you can’t change your fate,” explained Morstead. “You don’t have another workout to go show if you’re good and bad. Once that’ over, it’s up to the football gods.”

Morstead will discover his new home on April 25- and 26 as he sits crammed among other NFL hopefuls at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

While Morstead remains tight-lipped about where he ultimately wants to play, the kicker continually refers to his family ties in Houston.

“The Texans special teams coach pulled me aside and I talked to him just one-on-one. My family is in Houston and it would be insane to play there.”

As is the case with punters and kickers trying to get drafted, Morstead expects to be selected in the seventh or eighth round, but says he is content just being drafted..

“On draft day if somebody calls my name I’m going to be bawling,” said Morstead. “It will be the coolest thing ever. I’ll be so happy.”