Zach Stevens have attracted significant interest from AFL clubs <\/a>in recent months, which saw them receive late call-ups to attend this week\u2019s Victorian state draft combine.<\/p>\nWatkins was overlooked for Vic Metro\u2019s under-18 national championships squad earlier in the year but is understood to have met with at least seven clubs after finishing the Talent League season strongly.<\/p>\n
SCROLL DOWN FOR THE FULL DRAFT RANKINGS<\/p>\n
A 186cm front-half weapon who has improved his running, Watkins logged 23 disposals (17 contested), three clearances, 12 score involvements and kicked three goals in one eye-catching Wildcard Round match in late August.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s a good size, he hits the scoreboard and he is very creative with his hands and how he uses the footy,\u201d Calder Cannons talent manager Sebastian Spagnuolo said of Watkins.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe doesn\u2019t panic either, which is really good, and he\u2019s got such penetration in his kicking which makes him so damaging.\u201d<\/p>\n
Stevens burst onto the draft radar with some big displays in the Geelong Football League and at VFL for Geelong.<\/p>\n
The 19-year-old played in two losing grand finals in the space of five days last week with the Cats and South Barwon, who are coached by former Melbourne leader Mark Neeld.<\/p>\n
Stevens did not come through the elite talent pathway as a junior but a bumper under-18 season for South Barwon \u2013 capped with a best-on-ground display at GMHBA Stadium in their grand final win \u2013 earned him a pre-season trial with Geelong VFL.<\/p>\n
The lightning-quick forward has attracted interest from several AFL clubs and is striving to follow in Tom Stewart\u2019s footsteps as another Barwon mature-age recruit.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s incredible. We watched him in the under-18s grand final last year, and he had an awesome day, best on ground,\u201d South Barwon captain Matt Caldow said.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou never quite know how it\u2019ll translate to senior footy. But \u2018Stevo\u2019 has just taken it all in his stride, and seems to get better and better every week. I hope it all goes well for him because he\u2019s got all the attributes.\u201d<\/p>\n
East Perth defender Jake Soutar is another mature-age prospect whose name has been on the lips of recruiters.<\/p>\n
A 190cm interceptor with elite aerial abilities and a nice kick, the 20-year-old\u2019s stocks rose across the second half of the year.<\/p>\n
At the top end of the draft order, Claremont midfielder Heath Mellody has jumped into top-five calculations on the back of his silky second half of the season.<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A high-impact midfielder-forward from the Calder Cannons and a South Barwon speedster are shaping as two of 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