WHEN Carlton executed a trade with West Coast and Richmond on Tuesday morning, it blew up the Continental Tyres AFL Trade Period.

The Blues were a part of a three-way trade that saw them land picks 3, 63 and 68 in exchange for Matthew Owies, picks 12, 14 and 73.

It is the earliest pick the Blues have held at the draft since they took midfield jet Sam Walsh with pick 1 back in 2018.

So, who are the Blues eyeing off with that coveted pick 3?

Speaking on Gettable on AFL Trade Radio, AFL.com.au's trade and draft experts Cal Twomey and Riley Beveridge ran through the possible contenders for Carlton's prized selection.

In a midfield-heavy top end of the draft, there are a plethora of options for list boss Nick Austin and his team to consider.

One of those is Oakleigh Chargers ball magnet Jagga Smith, but he could be off the board before Carlton's pick 3.

"Jagga Smith is the extractor as a midfielder. He's the guy who's going to get you 33, 34 (possessions) from day one," Twomey said.

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"I don't think there's going to be any issues of him getting the ball at AFL level, because he's done it at every other level. There's a bit of Zak Butters about him and the way he can extract the footy and get things going his team’s way."

Smith played two games for Richmond's VFL side at the back end of this season, accumulating an average of 25.5 disposals per game. But will the Tigers take him with their pick 1?

Smith's Chargers teammate, Vic Country star Finn O’Sullivan, is another potential prospect the Blues will be looking at - if he's still available.

"Finn O'Sullivan has been all the rage, and he might be there at pick 3. But the move couldn't have been to think that he's a certainty to go at pick 3 because he's not,” Twomey said.

"Richmond could take him at pick 1 and if not, North Melbourne could well take him at No.2. He trained at the Roos at the start of this season as well, he played with the Tigers in the VFL late in the year and did quite well.

"He's had an injury-interrupted season, but I think looking at him, even at the Combine, he tested well, there's some real athleticism and power in his running movement and he's only going to get better. He's a baby face still, there's a lot of growth and development in Finn O'Sullivan and where he goes in his AFL career.

"He's not interested in getting the ball a million times, but he's interested in making it (count) and making an impact. He could end up being a 30-disposal average guy, but that's not what he is at the moment. He's also a really good mark overhead for a player his size."

Another midfielder who could come into calculations for the Blues is South Australian Sid Draper.

"The other midfielders around that point, Sid Draper has probably more of that lateral movement and speed out of the contest. We saw that at SANFL level late in the year, when he played up at that league level for South Adelaide," Twomey said.

"He's a goer. He's playing in round one wherever he is drafted and probably every other game after that. I don't think he's going to play much twos footy across his career ... he's ready to go.

"He's had an injury interrupted year as well with a bit of shin stuff at the start of the season, but he would be in that mix."

GWV Rebels gun Sam Lalor has been linked to Richmond as a potential No.1 pick, but if he slides, could attract Carlton's interest.

"Sam Lalor, if you're looking for a point of difference as a front-half player, he's a guy who could do that," Twomey said.

"Is he going to definitely get there at that point? It's dicey. He's been linked pretty strongly for those first couple of picks as one of the options there. Those guys are right in the mix.

"Murphy Reid as a midfielder probably in that next little rung, I'd say Josh Smillie is the same as well. Given (Carlton has) got Patrick Cripps for the foreseeable future, they probably don't need another type like that."

In a similar mould to Lalor, Dandenong Stingrays co-captain Harvey Langford could add some presence to Carlton's midfield mix.

"Harvey Langford is the other one who has to be considered. I'm a big Harvey Langford fan," Twomey said.

"I don't worry about him not being super quick because I think he's a finals player. He's a metres gained player and he marks well above his head. He's been good as a goalkicker this year - 20-plus goals - and he's a big guy. Walking next to him at the Combine, he's a big presence as a midfielder."

Beveridge believes the Blues need to both add some key-position depth and boost their midfield this off-season.

"They need key-position depth, which maybe they've addressed with (Nick) Haynes in the back half already. I think they need front-half speed, but I think at times this year they were a midfielder light," Beveridge said.

"They need someone with a bit of a point of difference. Someone with breakaway speed, someone with a bit of zip, someone with lateral movement that can get them out of trouble and someone that can cover the ground on the outside.

"These are the types of players that help impact when it comes to finals and help win finals.

"I think Carlton have tried to do that with a couple of players in the past ... they don't have that player at the moment so that is an area of need for them."

Carlton also has access to father-son duo Ben and Lucas Camporeale, sons of Scott, and will use later picks on them should a club place a bid early in the draft.

Carlton have had mixed success with early draft picks in recent times.

Walsh (pick 1, 2018) has become a star of the competition, as has defender Jacob Weitering (pick 1, 2015), who just signed a six-year extension.

Twin towers Harry McKay (pick 10, 2015) and Charlie Curnow (pick 12, 2015) are two of the most fearsome forwards in the competition, while youngster Ollie Hollands (pick 11, 2022) is looking promising.

But the Blues have had some misses as well.

Midfielder Paddy Dow (pick 3, 2017) failed to cement himself inside Carlton's best 23 before being traded to St Kilda, while both Liam Stocker (pick 19, 2018) and Sam Petrevski-Seton (pick 6, 2016) both suffered a similar fate.

Lochie O’Brien (pick 10, 2017) and Sam Philp (pick 20, 2019) are two other top-end selections that never quite made it at AFL level, combining for 68 games.

But having orchestrated a trade on Tuesday, list boss Nick Austin and his team are in a great spot to hit the jackpot this year in what looms as a super draft.