New Orleans Saints draft pick and former SMU kicker Thomas Morstead celebrates with his mother Sunday evening at Ozona Bar and Grill. (Michael Danser)
Thomas Morstead saw his special teams coach, Frank Gansz, just an hour after he was drafted by the New Orleans Saints on Sunday afternoon. Gansz was still in a coma, but Morstead said he still talked to him as if he was listening.
“It’s crazy how it happened that way,” said Morstead. “You can’t tell me that’s not a coincidence.”
Before paying his final respects to his coach, a much happier scene unfolded in the Morstead’s living room.
Nobody moved as Thomas Morstead answered his cell phone late Sunday evening. As NFL draft picks ticked away, apprehension built as SMU’s former kicker and punter awaited his fate in the NFL.
“I was being kind of nonchalant over the phone, everything was dead quiet and when I pointed at the TV it said Eagles trade pick to Saints and my mom just lost it and started laughing and crying at the same time,” said Morstead.
“I was probably more nervous, but he had no idea,” said Isobel Morstead, Thomas’ mother.
The New Orleans Saints drafted Morstead in the fifth round as the 164th overall draft pick late Sunday afternoon. With the Philadelphia Eagles on the clock, New Orleans traded picks with the New York Giants through Philadelphia to move up in the round to secure Morstead on their roster.
“Just to have this opportunity is awesome,” said Morstead. “It’s huge that they were trading picks to get me. It means they are serious about me and aren’t just trying to have me come in and be a leg. They want me to be their guy next year.”
Pat Morstead, Thomas’ younger brother admitted to having no idea what the experience will be like watching his brother play in the NFL but did say, “It’s his dream come true and if anybody deserves it, it’s him.”
Morstead was the first SMU draft pick since 2007 when defensive end Justin Rogers was picked up by the Patriots, but later traded to the Cowboys. Morstead’s fifth round selection was the highest pick in Mustang history since the Saints drafted linebacker Chris Bordano as the 161st pick in 1998.
Morstead was the second punter drafted, going 22 picks after Kevin Huber who was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals.
In an article from The Times-Picayune, Saints Head Coach Sean Payton said Morstead was the only punter the team was interested in, and decided to trade up in the draft for fear of another team picking up the Houston native.
“We think [Morstead’s] career numbers, his workouts after the season had ended and his most recent workouts were outstanding, ” Payton said, “That gives you an idea of our feelings about him.”
Payton went on to explain that Morstead will have to prove himself on the field before he will be the Saints starting punter.
“We’re not handing this job over to this college kid,” said Payton. “We tell the players this once they’re here, how we acquired the player should not have any bearing in terms of what we see, what you guys see and what all of us see in regards to who should play.”
Morstead joins the Saints averaging 41.8 yards per punt. The walk-on kicker/ punter ranked fifth in SMU history with 217 total points, 78 of which led him to breaking a school record of consecutive extra points made.
Upon graduating from Pearland High School, Morstead was redshirted his freshman year, and even his mom thought he wouldn’t get much playing time.
“When I saw the punter was Doak Walker’s grandson I said to [Thomas] ‘dude, you’re so screwed, you will never play.’ He ended up getting a full scholarship – we celebrated that a lot,” Isobel Morestead said.
Morestead has since established himself as the best punter in SMU history since Craig James.
“He’s worked harder than anyone I’ve known in my entire life,” said Morstead’s friend, Andrew Galloway. “He deserves every bit of this honor and I’m really happy for him. We knew he had something special and I said if I’m ever going to be a backup to somebody it better be somebody big and he proved me right.”
Galloway and Morstead both came to SMU as walk on punters, and received scholarships, Morstead for punter and Galloway for place holder.
“I don’t have any brothers or sisters and I call Thomas my brother,” said Galloway. “He’s going to remember his family and friends and where he came from. He’s the most grounded and humble guy on the planet. He has no idea what kind of immense talent he has. He just needs to keep following the path he’s following.”
Morstead will be in New Orleans May 7-10 for rookie training camp, but cannot begin officially practicing with the team until SMU graduation passes, according to official NFL rules.
“I think I’ll love it,” Morstead said about moving to New Orleans. “I’m from the south and my dad is from Louisiana. I’m excited to move to a new town and start over. It’s like going to college again.”
