Getting taken at number 1 in the AFL draft comes with its pros and cons. It serves as an honour to be recognised as the best player in your draft class, but that also comes with extra pressure to perform at a high level on a consistent basis.
These players listed below were able to channel that duress and either become wildly successful players in the AFL or lay an obvious platform or things to come.
With only a month to go until the draft, the buzz surrounding the consensus first cab off the rank in Jason Horne-Francis is almost at its crescendo.
RELATED: "I can make an impact straight away': Horne-Francis speaks on looming Roos selection
Should the hype prove to be real, you can expect the South Australian's name to be up in lights on lists like this within the very near future.
Here's the top 10 number 1 draft picks since 2000:
2. Nick RiewoldtÂ
Riewoldt was drafted by St Kilda in the 2000 draft and became one of the best forwards in the game.
A durable and impressive athlete who had the ability to run his defender off their legs, Riewoldt kicked 718 goals across a 336-game career which saw him rack up six best-and-fairests, an AFL MVP award, five All-Australians and four-time leading goal kicker for the Saints.
Not much needs to be said about the Saints legend, his resume speaks for itself. An all-time great of the game and a future inductee into the Hall of Fame.
