FOUR clubs will send recruiters to Florida next week as the next batch of American athletes take part in the US Combine.

The AFL will stage the three-day testing event at the IMG Academy in Tampa for the first time, and Essendon, Richmond, Carlton and North Melbourne will have scouts on hand.

Between 15-20 athletes from across America, mostly aspiring basketballers who are unlikely to get a chance in the NBA draft, will arrive on Monday before undergoing testing and being interviewed by the clubs.

The AFL will continue to target taller prospects, having last year seen a swarm of clubs show interest in 211cm Mason Cox, who had several interviews before choosing to join Collingwood as an international rookie.

This year's group includes a 213cm athlete, and the AFL's national talent manager Kevin Sheehan said the League was heartened by the development of Cox, Jason Holmes (St Kilda) and Eric Wallace (North Melbourne).

"The whole concept is still in its infancy, but for them to be able to compete as they are at VFL level gives us the encouragement to go back again, and four clubs will come with us," Sheehan told AFL.com.au.

"We'll look for the guys who are the perfect height for our game, but probably lack just that little bit to make the NBA. There's a terrific level of interest now."

Many of the American athletes have combined basketball with other sports, including soccer and gridiron, which Sheehan said has made for some exciting prototypes in recent seasons.

"Height is a pre-requisite to get in. We're starting at 200cm and working up. We make it fairly exclusive because we have to get our heads around them in three days," Sheehan said.

"At a minimum we'll bring two of the athletes out to Australia during finals time for an in-depth next step of coaching and development, and then presentation at the draft combine to the other clubs.

"But at best, last year we had Mason Cox out within a month after the combine as we realised we'd found a guy with some special attributes."

Taking the combine from Los Angeles to the IMG Academy in Tampa continues the AFL's integration at the world-class facility.

In January, the NAB AFL Academy spent a week training on the grounds at IMG for their international tour and the draft prospects gained plenty from living on campus alongside other emerging athletes from around the world.

"The eight other professional sports developing their best athletes were very, very interested in our athletes and what we are doing in our sport," Sheehan said.

"We think building up that knowledge at an elite facility is important and it can be housed in one spot." - See more at: http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-04-21/clubs-to-scour-us-talent#sthash.6TFOxt6G.dpuf