22 top prospects reveal who they’d take at Pick 1, Dougie Cochrane tops vote but Cody Walker close

A six-year AFL draft first is gathering momentum, with this year’s top prospects backing one standout contender to go No. 1.

Port Adelaide NGA prospect Dougie Cochrane has emerged as the clear favourite among his peers, with nine of 22 draft prospects nominating the 196cm talent as their Pick 1 choice.

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While one prospect described Cochrane as “a bit of an athletic freak” and another labelled him a “generational talent”, he wasn’t a runaway winner, with several other highly rated prospects attracting votes.

While the draft order doesn’t always determine a player’s eventual standing – Brownlow Medallist Nick Daicos, for instance, slipped to Pick 4 – the prestige and pressure of being the first player selected remain significant.

Former top picks Luke Hodge, Brendon Goddard, Adam Cooney, Brett Deledio, Marc Murphy and Bryce Gibbs all went on to play at least 250 games, while more recent selections such as Sam Walsh, Harley Reid and Willem Duursma have shown how quickly elite prospects can make their mark.

Club recruiters and draft pundits have studied the 2026 field over several years. But foxfooty.com.au asked 22 players in this year’s draft class which player they’d take at Pick 1.

Nine of them, including Swan Districts on-baller Leo Steed, nominated Cochrane – a well-rounded 196cm prospect who the Power are now preparing to match a Pick 1 bid for.

“I think he’s a bit of an athletic freak,” Steed told foxfooty.com.au. “He just moves well for his size, and he’s got great skills.”

Cochrane missed most of his draft year – including the Under 18 carnival – after undergoing knee surgery in March to address tendinitis. But his performances in previous seasons have kept him firmly in the conversation for Pick 1.

After winning the 2024 Kevin Sheehan Medal as the Division 1 MVP of National Under 16 championships, Cochrane made his SANFL league debut last year and kicked four goals within the first half of the match.

“I haven’t played any footy with Dougie, but I watched some of his games last year and what he was able to do at league level as a 17-year-old,” Woodville-West Torrens forward Jack Slattery told foxfooty.com.au. “Now that I’m playing league footy and have that experience myself, it’s even more impressive.

“I think his talent and potential are undeniable. Playing for Centrals last year, his ability to take big marks and kick big goals … you wouldn’t expect a 17-year-old to have such a polished game that young.”

Fellow South Australian Gabe Patterson dubbed Cochrane a “generational talent”.

“I feel like he could play anywhere on the field. He’s extremely tall and if he puts his mind to it, with the capabilities he has, he can be an all-time player,” Patterson told foxfooty.com.au.

The likes of Claremont midfielder-defender Heath Mellody, GWV Rebels on-baller Ethan Drever, Western Jets forward Khaled El Souki and Swans academy defender Mason McGroder all lauded Cochrane’s versatility, with Mellody adding Cochrane had “elite skills” for a player of his size.

Sandringham Dragons forward-midfielder Gus Teixeira added: “If I’m not taking myself, I’m taking Dougie Cochrane. What I’ve seen from Dougie is pretty impressive … He’s just a big guy who moves well and has skills. He’s got the whole lot.”

The next most popular choice was another club-tied prospect: Carlton father-son candidate Cody Walker.

A prolific ball-winner who has spent time in Carlton’s academy, VFL program and AFL training environment, Walker is eligible to join the Blues under the father-son rule, with his father Andrew having played 202 games for the club.

Cochrane said he’d take Walker if he had Pick 1.

“I feel like he’s been around the mark for a long time,” Cochrane told foxfooty.com.au.

“He can run well, but it’s the way he explodes out of stoppages and breaks the line with the ball. Even at the MCG last year (in the Under 17s futures game), you could see how he does that.”

Giants Academy on-baller Ethan Matthews also talked up Walker’s “power and explosiveness”, while Gippsland Power forward Wil Malady and Lions Academy defender Caylen Murray – who both played alongside Walker for the AFL national academy team earlier this year – lauded Walker’s will to win.

“As you saw in the 2km time trial, on the last lap he just kept going at it,” Murray told foxfooty.com.au.

“I was lucky enough to train with him through the AFL Academy and he carved it up there.

“His competitiveness has gone up to another level. He’s just a dog.”

Geelong Falcons forward Jack Pickett said Walker was a “pure ball-winner” and “the ultimate competitor”, adding: “All you have to do is see him before the Vic Country games and how amped up he is.”

Walker, meanwhile, had another prospect in mind.

“I’d go Ethan Drever, just a powerful player,” Walker told foxfooty.com.au. “He’s a pretty good size for an inside midfielder as well.”

Cochrane, Drever and Walker all loom as potential top-three selections, with Essendon increasingly linked to Rebels midfielder Drever with the first pick.

“He’s poised with the ball, his height and how clean he is, it’s just a no-brainer,” Gippsland Power defender Clancy Snell told foxfooty.com.au.

Snell, a self-confessed “big Essendon fan”, cheekily added: “If Essendon don’t take him, I won’t be happy.”

Snell’s Power teammate Marlon Neocleous, however, couldn’t split Drever and Northern Knights ruck Harry Van Hattum.

“‘Dreevs’ has explosiveness as a midfielder that’s really good to watch. I think he can really impact at the next level straight away,” Neocleous told foxfooty.com.au.

“Harry is a very versatile ruck. He’s similar to Luke Jackson. He can hit the ball, but he can also grab it out of the ruck and go and do his own thing.”

Key forward Sam Gayfer also nominated his Knights teammate in Van Hattum.

“I actually grew up with Harry, so I’ve seen his journey along the way and the type of player he can be when he plays his best football,” Gayfer told foxfooty.com.au. “I think he’s got plenty of potential and would be a good person to take.

“It’s just how big he is and how well he moves for his size. He can impact the game with his size, strength and mobility around the ground.

“To be good at ground level and in the air at 205cm, it’s pretty special.”

Van Hattum, however, was drawn to the “natural ability” and talent of Sandringham Dragons forward-midfielder Arki Butler.

“If I’m not including myself, I’d probably take Arki Butler,” Van Hattum told foxfooty.com.au.

“Watching a few of his games this year has been incredible. The things he can do with such high impact in low-disposal games has been awesome to watch.

“He kicks goals, but it’s also his impact through the midfield and his ability to hit targets inside 50. I can definitely see that (Toby Greene) comparison.

“He’s really exciting to watch and hopefully he goes really high.”

Dragons teammate Lochie Burrows said Butler had “pretty generational” raw talent and was a “hard match-up”.

“He’s a good goalkicking forward. If you put a small forward on him, he’ll mark it over them every time. But if you put a taller player on him, he’s just way too quick for them,” Burrows told foxfooty.com.au.

“He’s awesome to play with and a great friend. You build great connections with him.

“If you don’t give him the handball receive, he can get a bit grumpy! But he’s a really good person.”

When asked the same questions, Butler had a left-field suggestion, sticking up for close mate and Dragons teammate Jack Surkitt, who was described as a “pretty tough footballer”.

“I don’t think a lot of people know who it is,” Butler told foxfooty.com.au.

“He’s had a bad run of injuries the last couple of years, but I think in the next couple of years, everyone will understand how good he is and what they’ve missed out on.

“I think he’ll get his chance.”

Woodville-West Torrens defender Mitch Harris, who nominated Cochrane, was himself put forward as a Pick 1 contender by fellow South Australian Ethan Herbert.

Harris, who finished the season with five SANFL league games, has surged into top-five contention after emerging as arguably the best key defender in this year’s draft class.

“It’s a random one … Fellow SA boy, so I’m probably a bit biased,” Herbert told foxfooty.com.au.

“But what he’s shown at senior level is he can be a freak athlete and someone who can take intercept marks and be that key defender. Then I watch him for school and he can swing forward – I think he kicked four against us up forward – so he’s got that versatility.

“He’s such a rangy and raw player, but I think when he comes into his own and puts a bit of strength on, he can be anything.”

FINAL TALLY: WHICH PLAYER 2026 DRAFT PROSPECTS WOULD TAKE AT PICK 1

22 total votes

Dougie Cochrane – 9

Cody Walker – 5

Ethan Drever – 2.5

Arki Butler – 2

Harry van Hattum – 1.5

Mitch Harris – 1

Jack Surkitt – 1