By day, I work as an exercise physiologist. By night, I moonlight as an AFL draft fanatic. I'm watching 6-10 games per week, and staying across all the statistics and highlights of games and players I may have missed.
When I watch games, I have my own ranking criteria that I stand by as a measure of a player's impact on the game. Something I can use to separate prospects aside from the stats, and outside of purely football knowledge and intuition.
When it comes to putting together rankings, it's not hard to end up with a huge list of players worth noting. I've limited myself to 100 names for now, but make no mistake, there are upwards of 200 names on my radar. Without further ado, let's get into the current top 100 players in the 2026 AFL draft.
5-1
5. Gus Teixeira - MID - Sandringham Dragons
Well-rounded midfield powerhouse with good skills and goal kicking ability. Teixeira thrives when given the ball on the run showing his breakaway speed from stoppage, but he is also more than capable of winning the ball on the inside. Teixeira can also be a tough match-up when resting forward. He can take a mark on the lead and is a willing tackler. He'll no doubt look to step up to VFL level later in the year to confirm his stocks as a ready-made player.
4. Arki Butler - FWD/MID - Sandringham Dragons
An exciting offensive weapon, Butler has awesome agility and typically makes good decisions. He has great skills and is a strong over-head mark who's also capable of taking a hanger at any moment. Assigning a position to Butler is easier said than done, because he really can do anything. He's capable of playing as a high half-forward making something out of nothing or as a centre ball-up midfielder who can win his own ball and hit the scoreboard.
3. Harry Van Hattum - RUCK - Northern Knights
Rounding out the consensus top three. A man-mountain who meets all the criteria of a modern ruckman. Van Hattum is capable of winning the hit-out, following up at ground level, taking big pack marks and bullying opponents when rotating forward. In today's game, clubs are looking for their big men to influence the game in all areas and in multiple positions. Van Hattum has already shown that he is capable of doing almost everything on a football field and shapes as one lucky team's cornerstone for years to come.
2. Cody Walker - MID - Bendigo Pioneers *Carlton F/S
Elite level stoppage craft with the size and athleticism to step straight up to AFL level. Walker hits the ball hard and likes to take off with it. His skills are excellent but still have some room to grow, particularly his kicking at full speed. Walker has already stepped up to VFL level and he has also shown that he can play as either a small or medium forward with skills overhead and at ground level, he has plenty of x-factor and plays with a swagger and clear intention to take the game on.
1. Douglas Cochrane - MID/FWD - Central District Bulldogs/Port Adelaide Magpies SANFL *Port Adelaide NGA
The generational prospect of this years' draft crop. Cochrane possesses every trait needed to be a star of the competition. Size, speed, skills, agility and endurance. Cochrane has played as an intercepting defender, a high-half forward, a key forward and a full-time midfielder. Despite having not played a game so far this year due to knee tendonitis. Cochrane proved last year that he was head and shoulders above everyone else at SANFL colts level before going on to kick 10 goals in 5 games at league level for the Bulldogs.
