And it was only fitting that at Wednesday night's AFL Draft they had their names called out within half an hour of each other.

First it was Sharp, who went to the Brisbane Lions with pick 43, and shortly after Geelong snapped up Stevens with pick 47.

And as quick as that, the boys' AFL dreams had been realised.

"This whole lockdown stage when we were at home, we trained I reckon four times a week and then the other days we were playing golf together," Sharp said of "best mate" Stevens.

"We've spent a lot of time together. Even the past two weeks we have been going out for breakfast most days and just enjoying each other's company.

"It's awesome to have both of us get picked up."

Sharp, 17, and Stevens, 18, were both St Francis Xavier Primary School students before heading to St Patrick's College and started their football journey at East Point, where they would eventually win the under-16.5 premiership. From there, they joined the Greater Western Victoria Rebels, which helped plot a way to the draft.

Sharp, who moved to Caulfield Grammar at year 11, is best known as an elite runner and Australian junior steeplechase champion, with his efforts at the AFL Draft Combine really putting him on the map. In late October, he smashed the previous 2km time trial record, setting the mark at 5.28min.

"I do think there was a little bit more than that, but definitely the 2km put me in the forefront (of recruiters)," Sharp said.

"I'd told clubs in my interviews that was my key strength so I really showed that and I think it was good because there was recruiters there and they weren't just reading the numbers online."

Sharp heads to a Brisbane Lions club with strong Ballarat ties.

Already at the Lions is former Rebels Hugh McCluggage and Tom and Jarrod Berry, as well as player-turned-coach Jed Adcock.

The distance running star admitted he had to make a decision this year to follow his passion for football and shelve a career in athletics, which clearly had the potential to reach Olympic status.

"I'll definitely keep athletics within me, but maybe not for a while now that everything has gone to plan," he said.

Stevens tried his best to describe the feeling of being drafted alongside such a close friend.

"It's amazing. It's so special. It's the best feeling for sure," he said.

"I've always gone for Geelong so I could not be happier."

Stevens left St Patrick's College a year before Sharp for Geelong Grammar and is now ready to start life in the city as one of its AFL footballers.

GWV Rebels regional talent operations lead Phil Partington was thrilled for Stevens, who he described as a running half-back flanker.

"He's a very hard worker and worked extremely hard on his game for the last two or three years to get where he wants to get to," Partington said of the 18-year-old.

"He's very committed, from a good family and he's a good kid as well. He's done everything right so it's good to see him get an opportunity."

Partington was also "over the moon" for Sharp.

"To see the hard work he has put in for both his athletics and also his footy over the last few years, and to see an AFL club recognise he can play the game as well and to get his name called out at a national draft where it's a really compromised draft, is a real credit to him, the East Ballarat junior football program but also his athletic coaches as well."

In particular, Partington wanted to highlight the work done by Sharp's athletics coach Nev Down.

Meanwhile, Sunbury footballer Cody Brand was taken with pick 53 by Essendon.

Brand made his senior debut for the Lions in the Ballarat Football League in 2019 and was drafted via the Calder Cannons.

The Bombers got priority access to Brand, a lifelong Essendon fan, through their academy.

On Thursday, former Rebels player Marty Gleeson was given the opportunity to continue his career at Bomberland via the rookie draft.

The versatile defender had been delisted by the club last month.