St Kilda has provided the romantic story of this year's AFL national draft after selecting 18-year-old Nicholas Winmar - the namesake and second cousin of one of the Saints' greatest ever players.

Winmar, a 190cm versatile defender, was rated one of the best kicks at this year's draft camp and like his famous cousin hails from Western Australia and is renowned for speed and exciting style of play.

The Saints had been tipped to secure Winmar with their fourth round selection at pick 60 - which was instead used on talented but injury-prone former North Melbourne player Jesse Smith - but instead took him as high as their second round pick at selection 32 overall.

St Kilda coach Ross Lyon admitted after the draft that Saints' fans would be excited at the prospect of seeing the Nicky Winmar name revived at the club.

"It's a good story, he has the same name and he has that exciting speed and is a beautiful kick," Lyon said.

"He is 190cm and a flexible player and that link (to Nicky Winmar) is exciting for us."

Nicky Winmar was the first Aboriginal player to ever play 200 AFL games and was famous for his role in having the AFL's racial vilification policy introduced after he lifted his shirt showing the colour of his skin to the Collingwood crowd that had been abusing him during a match at Victoria Park in 1993.

During his 230 game career with the Saints from 1987-98, Winmar was the club's leading goalkicker in just his second season in 1988 and won the best and fairest the following year while he would go on to win another best and fairest in 1995.

While Saints' fans will no doubt spend much of their post-draft discussions focusing on Winmar, Lyon was just as excited about giving a second chance to the injury-prone Smith - the son of former North Melbourne defender Ross Smith.

Smith played just 27 games in five seasons for the Roos - 19 of those in 2007 - due to a series of hamstring problems but was rated one of the best players on offer in the 2004 national draft when the Roos picked him under the father/son rule at pick 42.

The 23-year-old walked out on the Roos at the end of the season hoping better facilities at another club might help him overcome his problems and continue his career and Lyon is looking forward to giving Smith that opportunity.

Lyon believes Smith could be the bargain selection of this year's draft provided he returns to full fitness.

"Neville Stibbard, the former North recruiting manager, said well done (after the Saints' drafted Smith) and said he (Smith) was one of the most talented players he has recruited in his 22 years at North Melbourne."

"After what he has been through, this is a great opportunity for him but there is a lot of hard work to be done yet but certainly if he can come out the other side then we have got a very talented player."

The Saints also selected former Richmond ruckman Adam Pattison at pick 64 as they look for a younger but experienced big man to help veteran pair Steven King and Michael Gardiner and promising youngster Ben McEvoy.