THIS year’s NAB AFL Draft is shaping up as being “even” at the top end, with “no clear standout” for the No.1 pick, according to AFL Media reporter and draft guru Callum Twomey.

Twomey, who specialises in reporting and analysing the draft and recruiting period, said the top few picks were far from settled.

“You look back to last year’s draft and you could put it in order by this stage of the year,” he told Dee TV.

“I think everyone knew that Jack Billings, Josh Kelly and Tom Boyd were all going to be there right in the top three and then Christian Salem at the Dees, we knew he’d be a top 10 pick … this year, it’s wide open.

“There is no Lachie Whitfield, Tom Boyd, Jonathon Patton or David Swallow either [locked in for the No.1 pick], so there are a few options.”

Twomey said midfielder Christian Petracca, plus talls Patrick McCartin and Peter Wright were firming as top three picks. Other midfielders Paul Ahern, Angus Brayshaw and Isaac Heeney have also been considered top candidates.

Heeney is a Swans academy prospect and Darcy Moore is a father/son prospect for Collingwood, as his champion father Peter didn’t play enough matches with Melbourne, despite winning a Brownlow Medal for the Demons in 1984.

Twomey said the Demons would “love a player like Christian Petracca”.

“He’s hard-bodied and just prolific in the midfield. He’s turned himself into a midfielder this year. Last year, he was a half-forward, who kicked goals. This year, he was a midfielder who just does it all and is powerful and quick,” he said.

“He’s from a basketball background, so he’s quite versatile and agile in tight spaces and he’s just a monster – you’d expect to see him play next year, if he arrived at the Melbourne footy club or any footy club for that matter.

“[Melbourne] has got Jesse Hogan coming through, but Patrick McCartin and Peter Wright are right at the top end.”

Twomey said the likes of Sandringham Dragon Ed Vickers-Willis, and Western Australian duo Clem Smith and Jarrod Garlett were in the mix for second round picks.

He added that potential Melbourne father/son prospect Billy Stretch – the son of 1987 best and fairest winner Steven – was also one to watch.

“He’s an interesting one. He spent some time with the club in January, as part of his AFL/AIS academy scholarship,” Twomey said.

“Billy had a really good championship for South Australia and played on the wing and made All-Australian. He’s done himself no harm in terms of his draft prospects for Melbourne and other clubs.

“I think he sits in the second to third round [bracket] at the moment, but you know with Billy that you’re going to get the best out of him and he’s going to work his backside off to make it.

“He’s a really good character, Billy, and I think he’d fit into a club really well.”

Meanwhile, Twomey offered his thoughts on the situation of unrestricted free agent James Frawley.

“Where it sits with Frawley … there are probably a few clubs interested out there and there is a fair chance that he looks at those and takes an offer at the end of the year. That’s the way it looks to be heading at the moment,” he said.

“What that means for the Dees is a compensation pick and whether that comes in the form of a first round – you’d expect, given the size and the length and the contract that he’d be given by another club – that it would mean another pick coming in [for Melbourne].

“That would be something to off-set the loss, which would mean another top-end talent.”

Twomey said 2012 Sydney Swans premiership player and unrestricted free agent Nick Malceski could be a target for the Demons.

“The link is there with Paul Roos – he’d be a pretty valuable pick, given the Dees’ success with free agency last year with Bernie Vince,” he said.

“I think these guys would add a lot to the club.”