Jack Watts opens up on the pressures of number one draft picks in the AFL

Former Melbourne and Port Adelaide player Jack Watts has opened up on the pressure of being taken with the first pick on AFL draft night.

Watts was picked first in the 2008 draft to Melbourne and endured a tough debut against Collingwood in the Queen’s Birthday clash in 2009 where he was visibly targeted by the Collingwood players.

Watts opened up on the start of his career as well as similarities with himself and last year’s number one draft pick, Jason Horne-Francis.

“I don’t know if North Melbourne handled him as well as they possibly could have,” Watts told Sam McClure on 3AW’s Wide World of Sports regarding Horne-Francis.

“When you first come in to play AFL footy, it should just be come in and play a role and just find your feet for the first couple of years, obviously there’s some outliers there.”

Press PLAY to hear Watts open up on the pressure of being the number one draft pick 

(Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)