South Australian tall Mitch Harris is emerging as the leading key defender in his class, and could find himself among the first 10 prospects picked at this year's AFL Draft.
Harris has risen to ninth in this month's AFL Draft Prospect Power Rankings off the back of an U18s All-Australian selection, with the Woodville-West Torrens native picked at full back after his strong National Championships run with South Australia.
The 196cm stopper's ascension has Harris placed as the No.1 key defender among this year's crop, with Gippsland's Clancy Snell (12th) and Vic Metro MVP Tyson Bradley (18th) the next in line.
Craft of the Draft analyst Jonty Ralphsmith highlighted the rise of Harris in this week's episode, which covered all the prospects in this month's top 40.
"The really notable change at the back-end of this top 10 is Mitch Harris coming into nine," Ralphsmith said. "It's not just that he's come into the top 10, it's the fact he's actually overtaken Clancy Snell.
"That's what's going to be really interesting across the back-end of the year: Who can outperform who, and who ends up being the first key defender taken?
"We don't often see so many key defenders taken at the top end, but there is going to be a real fight. Some people have Clancy Snell in the top 10 and not Mitch Harris. Others have just Mitch Harris. Some have both. They're both really bona fide prospects.
"Harris made his league debut for Woodville-West Torrens on the weekend. Took a couple of intercept marks and looked competitive. So he's someone who I think has a little bit more upside."
