Andrew McGrath's near-perfect AFL debut has put him into a select club - No.1 draft picks who have won the Rising Star award.
The Essendon utility polled maximum votes from nine of the 11 judges to win with 51 votes.
Impressive Hawthorn defender Ryan Burton was the favourite, but he finished 10 behind after no judges gave him five votes.
Newly-retired St Kilda legend Nick Riewoldt won the 2002 Rising Star, two years after he was the top draft pick.
McGrath joins GWS veteran Brett Deledio as the only players to win the award the season after they were No.1 selections.
Deledio won the 2005 Rising Star at Richmond.
McGrath has played 20 games this season, highlighted by his round-21 performance against Eddie Betts.
The 19-year-old kept the All-Australian goalsneak goalless.
But McGrath started the season thinking he would not be picked in round one, after a pre-season where he heaped pressure on himself.
"It was probably a mistake on my behalf, but I guess once you start playing consistent football and the coaching staff really has trust in you, then you can raise the bar and go to the next level," he said.
Essendon recruiting manager Adrian Dodoro said that is typical of McGrath.
"He has some really high expectations of himself," Dodoro said.
After playing most of the season in defence, McGrath has gone onto the wing in the last couple of games and eventually wants to become an inside midfielder.
While last year's draft crop featured some outstanding talent, Dodoro said there were strong reasons why they went with McGrath as the No.1 selection.
"He's such a composed young man, he takes everything in his stride," Dodoro said.
"He's a leader and he's always showed that he wants the moment."
McGrath's impressive season will continue with the elimination final against Sydney on Saturday week and Dodoro said the teenager will relish the added pressure.
The award was a four-way contest and the voting reflected that.
Port Adelaide midfielder Sam Powell-Pepper was next on 35 and Carlton key forward Charlie Curnow polled 27.
Fifth-placed Brisbane forward Eric Hipwood only polled six votes.
McGrath is Essendon's second Rising Star winner after captain Dyson Heppell, who took it out in 2011.
ANDREW McGRATH
* DOB: 2/6/98
* Vic Metro co-captain, All-Australian 2016 Australian under-18 championships
* No.1 pick 2016 national draft
* 20 games this AFL season
* Round four Rising Star nominee
RISING STAR VOTING
51: Andrew McGrath (Ess)
41: Ryan Burton (Haw)
35: Sam Powell-Pepper (PA)
27: Charlie Curnow (Carl)
6: Eric Hipwood (Bris).
