April 26, 2009

NEW YORK (SMU) - SMU punter Thomas Morstead was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft on Sunday, April 26. Morstead becomes SMU's first NFL Draft pick since 2007, when Justin Rogers, now with this Dallas Cowboys, was chosen by the New England Patriots. Taken with the 164th overall selection, Morstead is SMU's highest draft pick since the Saints took SMU linebacker Chris Bordano 161st overall in 1998.

Morstead leaves SMU as one of the best punters to ever put on a Mustang uniform. He was a 2008 preseason All-Conference USA pick after leading the league and ranking eighth in the nation in punting average at 44.6 ypp in 2007. His 2008 average of 41.5 ypp ranked 30th in the nation. He downed 20 punts inside the 20 with only three touchbacks, and helped SMU rank 21st in net punting.

SMU Head Coach June Jones also had three former Hawaii players taken in this weekend's draft, as David Veikune (Cleveland, Round 2), Ryan Mouton (Tennessee, Round 3) and Jacob Ingram (New England, Round 6) were selected.