With three of North Melbourne’s six selections from the 2020 NAB AFL Draft already making their debuts in the 2021 season, the early signs indicate a strong draft haul for the club.

Tom Powell and Charlie Lazzaro made their debuts in Round 1, while Will Phillips was made to wait until Round 3 to pull on the royal blue and white stripes.

RELATED: Ford, Spicer & Walker update

Head of Development Gavin Brown believes the mental attributes the Roos' number three pick, Phillips possesses, allows him to get the most out of his talent.

“He’s a very calm character, he doesn’t get frazzled and he doesn’t panic … you can’t really estimate what the weight of being such a high pick can do to an individual, but he’s got a very level head,” Brown told North Media.

“He’s got an extremely high work-ethic and a desire to get better … you’ve only got to look at the way Jy Simpkin goes about his business to see he’s got some really good role models around him.

“He has a high level of composure in those situations in front of goal where he’s under pressure, whether that be in the midfield or forward … he’s played a few senior games now, so I’m sure that puts his mind at rest that he’s amongst it and he can get to work.”

Powell has been arguably the most impressive of North’s draftees so far, and could consider himself unlucky to not have a Rising Star nomination at this point in the season.

The only first year player to play every game so far this season, Powell collected a career-high 25 disposals against Fremantle in Round 6 and is averaging almost 19 touches per game.

Brown says Powell’s natural ability around the contest has lent itself well to being able to hold his own at the highest level.

“He’s an incredibly gifted footballer with an amazing football brain … he’s never been taught how to go and get the footy, he just knows how to do that,” Brown said.

“His hands are elite, his vision is incredible, his decision-making is fantastic and his execution by hand and foot is very impressive.

“For him it’s more about improving the nuances of his stoppage craft and a couple of defensive things and things to do with running patterns, whether that’s forward or in the midfield.

“The more opportunities he gets at senior level the better he’ll get, and at the moment he’s coping extremely well.”

Charlie Lazzaro has quickly become a fan-favourite due to his high energy and infectious personality, boldly claiming on the record that he is now “royal blue and white for life”.

Lazzaro missed last weekend’s clash with Fremantle due to injury, but prior to that had played in each of the first five rounds of the season.

A legitimate option in multiple positions across the ground, Brown says Lazzaro’s natural versatility has helped him develop into an AFL standard player so rapidly.

“He’s got an incredible energy and vibrancy about him, he’s very go, go, go, and he’s a real ball-hunter with great lateral speed and power,” he said.

“Those attributes are why the club drafted him. He’s certainly taken his opportunity with both hands and we think he’s going really well.

“To be able to put him in three different positions within the normal space of a game is really helping him because he’s getting a good understanding of what each of those positions need, and its only going to help him further down the line.”