CLUBS may be more reluctant to trade future draft selections this year with a bumper crop of prospects expected to be available in 2017. 

Recruiters have been excited about next year's NAB AFL Draft pool since the under-16 carnival last year, when a mix of talls, midfielders and smaller types shone across both divisions.

That talent has already been on show so far this season, with clubs viewing next year's pool as stronger than this year and the 2015 crop, which many felt was talented at the top-end but dropped away. 

NAB AFL Academy coach Brenton Sanderson, who recently led the level one academy squad of 2017 hopefuls on a tour of New Zealand, said clubs were already looking forward to next year's draft. 

"This is a really exciting young group, and the water cooler talk at the moment around here is that this is a very strong draft. The 2017 draft looks to be a very strong draft," Sanderson told AFL.com.au's Road to the Draft podcast. 

"I've seen so much great young talent in this group already. This year's draft coming up looks to be full of great midfielders, and the 2017 draft there's some fantastic talls and a good couple of ruckman in there as well.

"I don't want to jump too early, but it (the 2017 crop) looks to be a really strong group."

Recruiters contacted by AFL.com.au said the early take on next year's talent would mean clubs would be less likely to offload future selections and forgo the chance at selecting top prospects. 

Tall forwards Connor Ballenden, Nathan Richards and Jarrod Brander, midfielders Lochie O'Brien, Jack Higgins, Charlie Spargo, Jack Powell and half-back Hunter Clark are among the early standouts for next year's draft.

Victorian half-forward/midfielder Joel Garner has also impressed and won the Cameron Ling Medal for the Academy's best player on its New Zealand tour, while the electric pace and smarts of Jayden Stephenson has taken the eye of scouts. 

Last year saw the trading of future draft picks introduced by the League, with three clubs – Collingwood, Geelong and Melbourne – off-loading their first selections in the 2016 draft.

Clubs can only trade one year into the future, and must make at least two first-round draft picks in each four-year cycle.