For fans of struggling sides, the AFL Draft is as close to Christmas as possible.

Fresh faces act as shiny, new toys, with goodwill and cheer also available in abundance.

While every club has hit the track for their pre-Christmas training period and each of the new boys have filled their lockers with brand new gear, sights have turned to which of this year's draft class has the ability to make an early impact in 2022.

Although plenty of players plucked will need big summers in the gym, there are a handful of precocious talents that already have expectations on their shoulders.

Here are the names that look the most likely to hit the ground running in their debut years.

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Adelaide's No. 6 overall selection will likely feature early in the season at West Lakes, whether it be through the midfield or in the forward line.

Having drawn comparisons to GWS' Toby Greene in the lead-up to being drafted, the forward-midfield versatility of Rachele will be very valuable to the Crows, and his excitement factor will be near impossible for the selection committee to ignore.

Vic Country player Josh Rachele fronting the media at Trevor Barker Oval, 2021 (Photo: Mitchell Keating - Zero Digital Media)
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