Calder Cannons football manager Len Villani would be "surprised" if his TAC Cup club does not have three first-round selections and at least five others drafted or rookied.

"We've had kids go through Vic Metro in the national championships, won a grand final, already had two kids go to the Gold Coast and players go to draft camp and state screening," he said.

"All our efforts come down to the end result and that's getting the kids over the line at an AFL club.

"It's out of our hands and in the clubs' hands now."

Villani will include the departed Taylor Hine and Josh Toy in his overall draft tally this season.

He is confident that midfielder Jake Melksham will be the first Cannon taken at the draft and that could occur in the top 10, with key position types Daniel Talia a potential late first rounder and Jake Carlisle a late first round or early second prospect.

"I'm 99 per cent certain that we will have three players taken in the top 20 and possibly one in the top 10," Villani said.

Others on the radar of the AFL clubs are strong-marking forward Serhat Temel, smooth-moving half-back/winger Anthony Long, solid-as-a-rock on-baller Tom Hunter, skilful ruckman Brendan Fewster and livewire forward Robbie Hicks.

The national draft will take place on Thursday, with the second-dip rookie draft to be read on December 15.

Melksham, the Cannons' No. 1 prospect out of the Oak Park Kangaroos, did his chances of a top-10 selection no harm with a best-on-ground performance in the TAC Cup grand final win over the Dandenong Stingrays at Etihad Stadium in September.

The Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School student caught the eye from a young age.

"I remember watching him on an under-14 junior development day at Coburg," Villani said.

"I said straight away this kid's going to play AFL one day - no doubt about that."

What sets the boy from Glenroy apart from the rest of the on-ballers at the Cannons is the time he creates on the ball.