FIRST-round draft pick Jimmy Toumpas admits he is feeling the pressure to perform at AFL level, but believes he can cement a spot in Melbourne's line-up in 2015.

Toumpas arrived at the Demons amid much hype after he was the No.4 selection overall in the 2012 NAB AFL Draft.

But to date the 20-year-old midfielder's career has not unfolded as planned.

He played 14 games in his debut season, despite battling hip problems, but a lack of form and a bout of appendicitis hampered his progress last year.

Toumpas played four senior games in Paul Roos' first season as coach and 12 matches for VFL affiliate Casey Scorpions.

Speaking to the Demons' website, Toumpas admitted he had failed to meet his own expectations.

"It's definitely not been ideal," he said. "It's not the start that I imagined I'd come to in the AFL system but I've loved every minute of it.

"I've learned a lot so far and definitely feel like I've improved as a player and a person as well.

"Hopefully, it will keep building and I can really cement my spot in the team – which I know I can – so hopefully get another good pre-season behind me."

Toumpas is entering the final year of his contract –he signed an extension before he had played an AFL game.

The South Australian product, whose name came up as potential trade bait in October, admitted he was feeling the pressure to perform at the elite level.

"More externally, really – the club has never put too much pressure on me," he said.

"Whatever draft pick you come in at, they treat everyone the same, which is ideal and very good and is the way that it should be.

"The media probably have put a little external pressure on me and I'm pretty hard on myself as well, so definitely a little bit of pressure here and there.

"But the club has been awesome to me so I feel like I'm in a good spot at the moment."

Desperate to get a clear run of injury and illness-free football, Toumpas has enjoyed a solid pre-season and said he is feeling fit to kick-off the New Year.

"Roosy has really stepped it up a notch," he said.

"We're probably running 40-plus kilometres a week, which is pretty solid and the boys really love it.

"I'm feeling pretty fit myself, so hopefully I keep that up until March or April when we start playing games and get some continuity in training levels."