Before you start reading.
Take a quick glance at the criteria here, it’s important.
Anyone that watches an NFL style draft will know it’s all about the future. Nobody goes drafting lads in their mid 20’s because they’re fresh out of college and massive trade deals are normally reserved for lads just BEFORE they hit their prime.
So the criteria here is as followed:
Age
The younger the better, you’re more valuable and will be around for years to come to represent the county that selects you.
Skill
How good are you? What can you bring to the team? Do you have the potential to get better and better?
Success
What have you done up until this point? Do you have any medals? How have you performed in the big games?
MarketabilityÂ
These counties need to sell jerseys, people want to come and watch you play. Are you a pretty face and have the media skills  to back it all up?
All round class
Are you good?
We’ll start from the 20th lad to be picked and go right down until numero uno.
20.Mark Bradley
Hasn’t quite made the name for himself just yet but it will happen. May not be the biggest physical specimen on the list but he’s a nippy lad and can run the bejaysis out of any man marking him. Underrated too, makes the list but could definitely be a steal with all the potential he has.
19. Daniel FlynnÂ
Player of the month for June this year and showed what he is made of. An absolute dream physically and has the pretty boy look about him too. Can’t help but feel playing for Kildare is keeping him from being higher in the list.
18. Damien ComerÂ
Comer is only 23 and Galway is such a prideful county, he has everything to suggest he should be at the top other than Galway football isn’t what it used to be. Pity that. Again though, he could be a steal.
17. Caolan Mooney
Now we’re talking, he may be lacking in success with Down but talk about a draw. This guy came back from Australia to play GAA and has the look about him.
16. Padraig HampseyÂ
An All-Star nominee, an Ulster Championship in 2017 and built like a brick house. Would be near the top if Tyrone had been better at the business end of the season.
15. Shane WalshÂ
One of the most dangerous forwards in the game, he’s in demand and is a great speaker for post-match interviews too. Suffering similar to Comer he would be higher if Galway had been more successful. What a star.
14. Kevin Feely
The lad used to play professional football and is fielding balls over Brian Fenton, there’s not much of a debate he makes the top 20.
13. Paul Mannion
A soon to be All-Star, plays for the most successful team in the land and an all-around class act. Because he’s in such a star-studded forward line Mannion doesn’t quite get the credit he deserves and for that reason, he is unlucky number 13.
12. Patrick McBrearty
The lad was established at the age of 18 when Donegal won the All-Ireland and is such a player. Would be a hell of a lot higher if the success had continued.
11. Ryan McHugh
Man of the match in the famous win against Dublin in 2014, former Young Footballer of the year and just edges in ahead of his teammate.
10. Diarmuid O’ConnorÂ
Now we’re in the business end of things. O’Connor is the brother of the soon to be all-time championship top scorer and has two Young Player of the Year awards to his name so was guaranteed to be high up this list. Add in that he plays for one of the most popular sides in the country, if he had a standout year this year ‘DOC’ could have been right near the top.
9. Brian Fenton
Fenton is 24-years-old so he still has a lot to give, exploded onto the scene out of nowhere in 2015 and has since made himself the first name on the teamsheet on the best side in the country. He also seems like a bit of a character too.
8. Paddy DurcanÂ
This may or may not be controversial. The Mayo man may be the only player on this list to have not nailed down a starting place but between how good he is with media, his long-range points and ability to have balls of steel to dig Mayo out of the pits mean he makes the list.
7. Lee Keegan
Hold on, just hold on. Yes, we know age is an important thing and nobody else on the list is over the age of 25 but Lee Keegan makes it because he is pound-for-pound the best player in the country. Think about it, what player would you want to go to war with? Who is the best man marker in the land and can still score vital goals and points from play? You can’t leave the Westport man out of the list.
6. Enda Smith
Smith is 22, he was one of the main lads in a recent AIB documentary so his profile is already marketable. Adding to that, Smith was out of this world in the Connacht Final against Galway when Roscommon stunned everyone and for all them reasons he is so high up the list.
5. David Clifford
Clifford should be number one, he should be. There is no man that is more of a superstar than this lad right here but all we’re waiting for is to see if he’s the real deal come senior, he will be but that little ounce of uncertainty has him fifth. The Kerryman is a tall, good-looking lad that is a master on the microphone as we’ve seen after matches and he’s already loved for turning down Australia.
4. Ciaran Kilkenny
Four All-Ireland titles, two all-stars and a Player of the Year nominee for 2016. Not much more needs to be said, top-drawer player and still only 24-years-old.
3. Michael QuinlivanÂ
Quinlivan may not have had massive success with Tipperary but he did capture the country’s imagination in 2016 with an All-Star year as his county reached the All-Ireland semi-final, he’s still only 24 and because of that he gets right up near the top of the list.
2. Jack McCaffrey
The Clontarf man won Player of the Year a couple of weeks after his 22nd birthday, he also showed he could seamlessly transition back into the squad after a year away and is super exciting to watch. Brian Fenton says he may be the most interesting man in the Dublin dressing room and the lad is a smart cookie, studying medicine in UCD. McCaffrey has everything going for him and a second All-Star in a couple of weeks will only make him more valuable.
Oh, and who can forget his antics behind Jim Gavin and Stephen Cluxton which only adds to his legacy.
1. Con O’Callaghan
This was always going to be an easy one.
All you need to do is look at the year the 21-year-old had.
- All-Ireland Club Championship
- All-Ireland under-21 football Championship
- Leinster Football Championship
- All-Ireland Football Championship
- Dublin Hurling Championship
The Cuala man is soon to be Young Player of the Year and an All-Star, has been talked about since underage and is known by just about everyone now.
Add to that, his girlfriend plays for the Dublin ladies team, so marketable right there and he could well win Player of the Year for years to come. Enjoy the top spot Con.
