The 2023 AFL National Draft is less than a month away and with it fast approaching we've finalised our first edition Mock Draft - looking at how the opening round of the count might unfold.
The first round of November's draft has extended to 22 selections following the establishment of free agency compensation selections and one additional pick via the AFL's assistance package for North Melbourne.
With Academy and father-son bids predicted to come on the opening night of the draft, the first round could be extended past the mid-20s in what shapes as an intriguing queue.
Below we've worked through the first round of the draft order to present our opening Mock Draft of the season.
For the purpose of this exercise, we have decided not to predict prior or live trades for the draft, with the order remaining as it currently reads with the addition of matched Academy and father-son bids.
VIEW: FULL 2023 AFL DRAFT ORDER
2. Pick 2 - Gold Coast: Jed Walter (matched Academy bid)
Position: Key Forward
Height: 194cm
Weight: 97kg
State: Queensland
Club: Palm Beach Currumbin
A big-bodied brute force for defenders to deal with, Walter's name could be called as early as Pick 1 following his dominant year with the Suns and the Allies.
The tall forward booted 11 goals in the National Championships to help steer the Allies to their first premiership, with Walter also booting 18 goals from his four Talent League appearances.
The Queenslander is likely to be one of four Suns Academy prospects that get drafted next month and could be the first of three selected in the top 10.
Another to consider: N/A
