Adelaide recruiting manager James Fantasia emerged from Saturday's NAB AFL Draft well-satisfied at having secured prized local prospect James Sellar and exciting Queenslander Kurt Tippett with the club's first two picks.

Sellar had been talked of as a possible top-four pick earlier in the year before an illness affected both his weight and form and Fantasia could not hide his delight at having the 195-centimetre forward unexpectedly land in his lap.

"For us it was the first surprise of the day, he ticks all the right boxes," Fantasia said from Telstra Dome.

"He's a key forward, he's a 17-year-old with massive development potential, he's already played at senior level, he's got great leadership and character, he's just a quality young man and him being a homeboy as well makes it very nice.

"I never thought five or six months ago that we'd even get close to him given how our team was traveling and how he was traveling it just looked like he was a lay down misere for a top-five spot.

"Maybe he dropped out of contention for those top spots because of a little bit of a drop in form, but that was brought on through a couple of issues. He trained with us through his AIS program so we got a real close look at him in that regard as well so it all went pretty well."

The club further addressed an area of need with the selection of beanpole Tippett who is one of those tantalising basketballer-turned-footballer prospects that could turn out to be just about anything.

"Kurt in our opinion was a top-10 pick so to get him was very nice for us," he said.

"He comes in at 201 centimetres and gives us a little bit of support in the ruck, but he comes in as a genuine key forward. He played a year a year of senior footy with Southport in a premiership side … he's a great pick-up, a great lad who's got a couple of strings to his bow."

The Crows bolstered their midfield brigade with Vic Metro ball winner David Mackay at their third pick. Described as a pacy, long-kicking midfielder, Mackay played a pivotal role in the Oakleigh Chargers' grand final win this year.

Adelaide went mature-age with its next two picks with 24-year-old, North Adelaide centre-half forward Nick Gill and Norwood onballer Bryce Campbell.

"Nick Gill's arguably the best centre-half forward (in the SANFL) and he's a ready-to-go player," Fantasia continued.

"With Trent Hentschel and Rhett Biglands down obviously he supports that role, but in his own right he's just deserved that opportunity after a couple of years of really solid consistent footy. At his age he's still got plenty to offer and we're genuinely excited about where he might fit in.

"Same thing with Bryce Campbell, he's a bit more of a mature player at 22, but he's just a hard inhside midfielder who we think can add to the group that we've got and is ready to go."

Fantasia said the loss of Hentschel and Biglands for next season had been taken into account when formulating the club's drafting policy, but he was confident both Gill and Campbell could go on to have long careers.

All of Adelaide's draft class of 2006 would be in with a shot at senior selection next season according to Fantasia.

"I think they'd all be able to push up at some stage, I think that's one of Neil's great strengths," he said.

"He won't put any limitations on any of those young men, so if they come in and can handle the level, he'll play them."