Essendon will blood its seventh AFL debutant this season, with mid-season recruit Sam Durham a confirmed starter for Sunday's clash with North Melbourne at Metricon Stadium.

Taken at pick No.9 from Richmond VFL in the 2021 NAB AFL Mid-Season Rookie Draft, the versatile Durham is predominantly an outside midfielder with strong skills on both sides.

He has been used as a wingman in his four VFL games for the Bombers, averaging 17 disposals, 4.5 marks and three tackles.

The 20-year-old was first eligible for the draft in 2019 as a NAB League player with Murray Bushrangers.

After being overlooked in two successive drafts, Durham responded with an impressive start to the 2021 VFL season as a Tiger to spike the Bombers' interest.

"We were really excited to call out Sam’s name. We’ve tracked him closely the last couple of years," Essendon national recruiting manager Rob Forster-Knight said after the mid-season draft.

"He originally came from Murray Bushrangers and played well there, and then obviously the COVID year struck. This year we thought he really developed his game playing for Richmond in the VFL.

"He’s had really nice attributes all along, but especially this year in a wing and half-back role.

"What we really like about Sam are his skills. He’s a two-sided player, versatile and agile. He can play half-back, a lockdown role and on the wing."

Durham will become the 1,180th player to don the sash, joining fellow AFL debutants Nik Cox (round one), Harrison Jones (one), Archie Perkins (three), Alec Waterman (three), Zach Reid (five) and Nick Bryan (seven).