Carlton can’t wait to bring No.3 pick Jagga Smith into their club after drafting him tonight.

The Blues’ head of list management Nick Austin said Smith had a lot to offer the club.

“We had a targeted approach during the trade period to put ourselves in the best possible position on draft night, and to be able to welcome Jagga to the fold is the result we’re thrilled with,” Austin said.

“You’d struggle to find a more impressive young person and player than Jagga. He’s one of the standout leaders in his draft class, which was reflected in his captaincy duties throughout the year, and he’s someone who we think can offer a real point of difference to our midfield for a long time.

“He’s the No.1 ball winner for his age but more than that, he gets bang for buck with his ball use. We love what he’s able to do in traffic, he’s someone who really relishes the contest side of the game, and he’s been incredibly consistent for Oakleigh, Vic Metro, the under-18 Australian side and even Richmond in the VFL.

“We couldn’t be happier to welcome Jagga to our club, he’s someone who we’ve had our eye on for a while that we think will play a pivotal role for our football club in the years to come.

“We can’t wait for our members and supporters to see what he can do when he pulls on the Navy Blue jumper.”