AFL Draft 2025: Prospects, pick 1, predictions, Willem Duursma, Cooper Duff-Tytler, rankings, mock orders, news, videos, highlights

A fourth Duursma is poised to officially join the AFL ranks next month.

And according to most recruiters – and several of his peers – Willem Duursma is at the top of this year’s pool just over one month before the draft.

Although the gap between Duursma and Calder Cannons star Cooper Duff-Tytler isn’t that big.

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While the No. 1 draft selection is just a number – punctuated by the fact that three-time top-three Brownlow finisher Nick Daicos slipped to Pick 4 and arrived at Collingwood as a ready-made AFL player – there’s a level of prestige and pressure that comes with being the first draftee picked.

Past No. 1 selections Luke Hodge, Brendon Goddard, Adam Cooney, Brett Deledio, Marc Murphy and Bryce Gibbs retired with stacked CVs that included at least 250 games, while Daicos and Sam Walsh are recent examples of top draftees that can have an immediate impact. Others like Cam Rayner, Aaron Cadman and Jason Horne-Francis took a bit longer to show their wares at AFL level.

In more recent years, Harley Reid and Sam Lalor have shown explosive, promising signs upon being unleashed.

Club recruiters and draft pundits have studied the 2025 field over several years. But foxfooty.com.au asked 17 players in this year’s draft class which player they’d take at Pick 1.

Seven of them, including Oakleigh Chargers on-baller Sam Grlj, said Duursma – a silky utility with an elite kick, great lateral movement and the versatility to play in multiple positions on the field, which has seen him draw comparisons with dual All-Australian Brendon Goddard.

“I think it’s pretty clear-cut now. I think it’s Willem Duursma,” Grlj told foxfooty.com.au.

“He’s just played some really good footy this year, he’s a really quality player with some really good attributes and can play anywhere on the ground – I think that’s something that’s really exciting. He’s 190cm and moves really well, so I think he’ll be a real player.”

Eastern Ranges bolter Sullivan Robey, who lined up on Duursma in his first Coates Talent League match, said the Gippsland Power star had “all the skillsets you need” in an AFL player and predicted he’d “have a 300-game career”. West Perth utility Jacob Farrow said Duursma had been “so consistent over these last few years and also shown what he can do at all levels”.

Murray Bushrangers defender and Carlton father-son prospect Harry Dean, who played alongside Duursma for Vic Country during the national champs, said Duursma “could fit in anywhere” on the field.

“He’s a genuine utility. Like he plays midfield, forward, back line – he can just play anywhere, which is what a club could use. If he doesn’t go well in the forward line, you can move into the midfield or back,” Dean told foxfooty.com.au.

Gold Coast academy star Zeke Uwland said Duursma was “such a dynamic player”, while Brisbane academy midfielder Daniel Annable lauded Duursma’s ability to stand up in big games.

“He’s played some great finals games this year, very consistent and has those long levers and moves around the ground. He’s very versatile, a great prospect,” Annable told foxfooty.com.au.

Suns academy gun Dylan Patterson dubbed Duursma “an athletic freak”, adding: “Sometimes you just need someone like that to be entertaining, be able to do some crazy things — and he’s the type of person who can do some crazy things.”

Most industry sources believe Duursma is a hot chance to go at Pick 1 to the West Coast Eagles on draft night.

Asked about the prospect of being taken with the first selection, Duursma told foxfooty.com.au: “Obviously it would be really nice to go Pick 1 and have that accolade. But to be fair, to me at the end of the day as a person, I don’t really care too much about it. All I really care about is just get the opportunity to be in a club and just show what I’m about.

“I mean it’d be nice to do that and be Pick 1, but not a necessity for me and not too fazed by it.”

As for Duursma’s choice, he couldn’t split Duff-Tytler and Larke Medallist Dyson Sharp, with both players also popular choices among their peers interviewed.

“Two unreal players, so they’ve certainly put their claim out to that with big years,” Duursma said.

“Dyson’s competitiveness definitely stands out. Yeah you could make the argument that you’ll find players like Dyson in pretty much any draft, but you can’t find anyone as competitive as him, I don’t think.

“‘Duff’, I think his ceiling is really high. If you’re going to draft him on his potential, he could be something really special.”

Gun midfielder Sharp, who led his state to an undefeated national championships triumph, had strong support from fellow South Australians Aidan Schubert and Louis Kellaway.

“The way he leads the group – I got to experience that first-hand for a couple of years now at Central Districts and the state program – he’s an awesome leader, an awesome player,” Schubert told foxfooty.com.au.

“Winning the Larke Medal, that should not be understated. I feel like that’s gone under the bridge a little bit, but that was massive.

“Going through the ranks, at times it was like: ‘He’s not human! How does he keep performing under all these expectations?’ I really admire what he does and he’s a great player.”

Kellaway added: “He’s an unbelievable player, great work ethic, energy, enthusiasm. He’s a great leader and one of the toughest opponents I’ve played against myself.

“You think he’s got a weakness, but he doesn’t really have any. He gets to contests, he gets around the ground, he uses the ball well – he does it all.”

Patterson, who couldn’t split Sharp and Duursma as his Pick 1 choice, said Sharp was someone who “you know what you’re going to get”.

Duff-Tytler had support from fellow Victorian key forward Archie Ludowyke, who’s played with and against Duff-Tytler at various levels since Under 16s.

“The versatility, he’s got a nice kick, good grab, he can run really well with great endurance, he’s just clean below his knees. Every aspect, you don’t really find many 204cm players as good as him,” Ludowyke told foxfooty.com.au.

Calder Cannons ball magnet Adam Sweid didn’t even hesitate when asked who he’d take with Pick 1.

“Cooper Duff-Tytler. He’s such a special talent, he’s such a special human, like such a great bloke,” Sweid told foxfooty.com.au.

“He runs better than a midfielder at times, he’s cleaner than midfielders – and he’s six-foot eight. He can do things that not many tall players can do.”

Eastern Ranges small forward Lachy Dovaston described Duff-Tytler as “a midfielder who plays ruck but can also play forward”.

“At Metro and even in his VFL game, he showed he can play out of the square and take some good marks and kick some goals. He’s a bit of an all-rounder,” Dovaston told foxfooty.com.au.

For what it’s worth, Duff-Tytler said: “I’d back myself in (to go Pick 1), but if I had to pick someone I’d say Willem Duursma. He’s versatile and had a great season.”

Outside of Duursma, Sharp and Duff-Tytler, there was some love for Daniel Annable – the Brisbane Lions academy on-baller who could attract a top-five bid on draft night.

“Just his professionalism and the way he goes about it, he’s a real pro,” North Adelaide on-baller Sam Cumming told foxfooty.com.au.

“He’s a real leader and it looks like he just works his arse off with everything he does.”

Cumming’s South Australian teammate Jevan Phillipou took a similar approach to older brother Mattaes to the Pick 1 question.

Asked three years ago which player he’d take if he had Pick 1, Mattaes Phillipou told foxfooty.com.au: “I think I‘d have to say myself, just because I think if you’re not going to back yourself, you probably don’t have the confidence required to play in the league.”

Asked at last month’s draft combine which player he’d take if he had Pick 1, Jevan Phillipou told foxfooty.com.au: “I’d pick myself. That’s not arrogance, that’s just confidence in my abilities.

“I would take myself, just because of my all-round athleticism and my dual-sided kicking. I’ve got really good skills and I’ve got smarts as well … I feel like I can be utilised straight away. I’m very versatile.”

Swans academy prospect Max King was non-committal on his Pick 1 contender nomination.

“To be honest, I don’t really know. I don’t really care who goes Pick 1, because as soon as you step in the next day at an AFL club no one really cares what pick you went, you’re all on the same playing field,” King told foxfooty.com.au.

FINAL TALLY: WHICH PLAYER 2025 DRAFT PROSPECTS WOULD TAKE AT PICK 1 (of 17)

Willem Duursma: 7.5

Cooper Duff-Tytler: 3.5

Dyson Sharp: 3

Daniel Annable: 1

Jevan Phillipou: 1

Unsure: 1