The budding power-forward is in the mould of decorated superstars of the past Jonathan Brown with Brisbane and Hawthorn’s Dermott Brereton, who between them have won eight AFL premiership medals.
Patton was new club Greater Western Sydney’s first choice at an historic draft in Sydney on Thursday night.
He was the cherished top pick ahead of looming midfield star Stephen Coniglio at number two and gifted on-baller Dom Tyson as the Giants third choice.
Tyson is considered a versatile all-round on-ball play-maker.
The tall and pacy Will Hoskin-Elliott was taken at number four and then running defender Matthew Buntine at five rounded out the Giants first five picks in the draft where the new franchise had 11 of the first 14 choices.
Nippy winger-forward Nick Haynes was the Giants sixth pick and number seven overall.
Struggling club Port Adelaide took local South Australian Chad Wingard from Sturt with their first choice and sixth pick overall, while Brisbane selected Victorian ruckman Billy Longer at number eight with their initial selection.
The Giants also recruited athletic Adam Tomlinson and classy small forward Liam Sumner at nine and 10 to complete the prestigious “Top 10” of 2011.
Patton had virtually no rival as this year’s top draft pick, though there had been some speculation that Coniglio might be called as the first choice.
Coniglio, 18, is a stunning midfielder and was captain of Western Australia in this year’s national under-18 championship when he won the prestigious Larke Medal as top player of the series.
Patton is already a powerfully-built teenager who is expected to make his debut in the historic opening round of season 2012 when his Giants play Sydney in a stand-alone AFL launch to the year.
Patton is a power-marking, goal-kicking key forward who was widely regarded as the standout number one draft choice throughout the AFL community for the past 12 months.
He joins other former number one picks including current Hawthorn champion Luke Hodge in 2001, Carlton’s Marc Murphy (2005) and Matthew Kreuzer (2007) and St Kilda’s Nick Riewoldt back in 2000.
AFL Draft Top 10:
| PICK No. |
NAME |
CLUB |
Drafted from |
| 1 |
Jonathon Patton |
Greater Western Sydney |
Eastern Ranges |
| 2 |
Stephen Coniglio |
Greater Western Sydney |
Swan Districts |
| 3 |
Dom Tyson |
Greater Western Sydney |
Oakleigh Chargers |
| 4 |
Will Hoskin-Elliott |
Greater Western Sydney |
Western Jets |
| 5 |
Matthew Buntine |
Greater Western Sydney |
Dandenong Stingrays |
| 6 |
Chad Wingard |
Port Adelaide |
Sturt |
| 7 |
Nick Haynes |
Greater Western Sydney |
Dandenong Stingrays |
| 8 |
Billy Longer |
Brisbane Lions |
Northern Knights |
| 9 |
Adam Tomlinson |
Greater Western Sydney |
Oakleigh Chargers |
| 10 |
Liam Sumner |
Greater Western Sydney |
Sandringham Dragons |