AFL draft guru Kevin Sheehan reveals and rates his top prospects for 2023
The No. 1 pick in this year’s AFL Draft was all but locked in a while ago, but one young gun is pushing his way up draft boards to be pick 2. Plus see more draft bolters on clubs’ radars here.
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It might still be more than six months until the AFL National Draft, but the No. 1 pick is all but locked in.
Recruiters believe that Harley Reid is a standout in this year’s pool and there is daylight between him and the next best available talent.
A versatile player from the Bendigo Pioneers, Reid looks up to AFL midfielder-forwards like Dustin Martin and Christian Petracca.
However, he has played significant football in defence in the Coates Talent League, with the AFL Academy side and in the VFL with Carlton, where he has also shone brightly with the run and rebound he can create.
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Some recruiters can’t yet put a finger on who the second-best talent is this year, but Nick Watson is in that conversation.
A livewire small forward, the Eastern Ranges product has been kicking goals but has also been deployed across half-back at stages this season where he has shown plenty of class.
South Australian forward Ashton Moir had been considered a top-five prospect entering this year, but the AFL Academy squad member has battled a hip issue and has had a relatively quiet start to his top-age season.
Tasmanian Colby McKercher has not had that problem, staring through the midfield at all levels in the early part of the year to push his case to be a potential top-five pick.
McKercher has been likened to Essendon’s Zac Merrett, but is quicker.
He has an athletics background, with the 100m and 200m sprints being his speciality.
“He (Merrett) is a jet and I’m very grateful for people saying that but I just want to make my own name and play my own way,” McKercher said.
“You take parts of every elite AFL player but I just want to be me at the end of the day and play to my strengths.”
A Western Bulldogs father-son prospect has been one draft bolter in the early part of the year.
Jordan Croft – the son of 186-game Bulldog Matthew Croft – only gave football his full attention last year after pursuing volleyball as his sport.
Standing 200cm, he has excelled in the early part of this season with his athleticism, marking capabilities and goalkicking.
Melbourne also has a father-son prospect in Kynan Brown, an inside midfielder from the Oakleigh Chargers who is the son of 146-game Demon Nathan Brown.
As far as Academy prospects go, Gold Coast looks set to hit the jackpot with three highly-rated players set to graduate from the Suns’ Academy this season.
Midfielder Jake Rogers, key forward Jed Walter and forward-ruckman Ethan Read are all part of the AFL Academy squad and are considered to be top-30 picks.
AFL TALENT AMBASSADOR KEVIN SHEEHAN EXCLUSIVELY REVEALS HIS TOP 78 AFL DRAFT PROSPECTS FOR 2023 BELOW
Originally published as AFL draft guru Kevin Sheehan reveals and rates his top prospects for 2023
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