Monday, March 18, 2024
EditorialMy Inaugural WWE Draft: The Top 20

My Inaugural WWE Draft: The Top 20

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With the NFL draft taking place, why can’t we have a WWE draft just for fun’s sake? Of course this style will be unorthodox and the review of each of the wrestlers will be in the form of a scouting report; as if you were reviewing an NFL player. With that said, let us get into the top 20 (this will not involve NXT talents but just know that I have Sami Zayn and Finn Balor in the back of my mind.)

20. Curtis Axel

Third-generation superstar, and in short stints, he has proven to be a respectable in-ring worker. Aside from that, however, most recruiters see him as a perpetual benchwarmer due to his lack of charisma and intangibles. When he burst onto the scene two years ago, the alignment with Paul Heyman showed unlimited potential, but he has failed to capitalize on the opportunity and he may have already hit his ceiling. Axelmania is definitely not running wild.

19. Naomi

The only diva on this list. Reports surrounding Naomi has shown that she works better when she’s her own woman. Fantastic body, and I cannot stress that enough, good movement for a woman her size, and in the months to come, she can prove to be a big player in the game. Scouts have also been extremely impressed with her increased fluidity on the microphone as well. With her new change in attitude, the question isn’t if Naomi has potential, it is now whether or not the talent around the Divas division will increase at the same rate.

18. Big E

Scouts were licking their fingers when Big E burst onto the scene as a singles performer. Great movement, tremendous speed, and a fearlessness that came when holding WWE’s second-tier title. However, after he lost the title, he was not able to bounce back and fell rapidly back to Earth. However, he has earned the respect of recruiters in that he has had a rejuvenation of sorts with The New Day. Many are willing to give Big E another shot as he has dominated the mic and his recent performance at Extreme Rules shows that he can still be a good enforcer and a great team player. We are now left to wonder, though, whether or not his days as a singles competitor are numbered.

17. Damien Sandow

You probably don’t know it, but Damien Sandow is a veteran within WWE circles as he was a frequent performer in OVW. Expectations were raised significantly upon winning the Money In The Bank briefcase, but after he choked in the fourth quarter against a battered John Cena, and a failed run with Team Rhodes scholars, followed by frequent appearances on the pre-show, his career looked to be headed for a tailspin. Scouters did, however, enjoy his act as Damien Miz-dow, though it got tiresome after some time. Scouts are now wondering what his new singles career will bring. They would also like to see him improve his physique and in-ring work. His mic skills are on par with some of the best in the business, but everything else needs some work.

16. Ryback

Incredible physique, comparable to that of a Scott Steiner, Batista and even Goldberg in their prime, and a hard worker. The issue with Ryback with scouts has been the fact that he hasn’t been able to stay at an all-star status after his feuds with CM Punk and John Cena ended. Another issue brought up with many of the recruiters is the prolonging fear that he may never win a championship. His mic skills have been borderline amateur, and his move set should be a bit more diverse than your typical power moves. Hope isn’t all yet gone for Ryback with a new feud with Bray Wyatt incoming and the jury is still out. Scouts are going to need an all star performance out of Ryback, because the ceiling is starting to get closer and closer for The Big Guy.

15. Stardust

Scouts are extremely high on Cody Rhodes/Stardust. What they didn’t appreciate, however, is the attitude change. He was a frequent high-quality performer and a talent on the microphone who also started to get over with the crowd during his feud with The Authority. However, he has faded into relative obscurity and is coming off a disappointing loss to R-Truth in the King of the Ring Tournament. Recruiters want the return of Cody Rhodes and fast. At 29, he is a relative infant within the WWE confines, so there is plenty of time for Cody’s career to get back on track. It is suggested, however, that this change comes sooner rather than later before the higher-ups in WWE get lazy and forget about him. He’s a star and potential main eventer under the right conditions.

14. Daniel Bryan

Amazing technician who has the skill set comparable to a Chris Benoit. He is good for outstanding matches, and his reputation in the indy scene precedes him. The major flaw that scouts seem to have is his durability. They know he can be a major all star player in a vacuum, but he has had two straight injuries after having great matches at WrestleMania. If his recent injury lasts any longer, the fear is that he may be stripped of the title again and his style will have to be altered into a low-risk move set. His abilities and deficiencies combined make him a top 5 player in the game when healthy. However, scouts are coming to the realization that he is of no value if he cannot stay in the ring. Not to mention that the types of injuries he has will be exacerbated over time. It should be a time of reflection for Bryan at this point. You can’t go wrong if you draft him, but this is a high-risk choice. Essentially, he’s the WWE’s version of Derrick Rose. Exceptional when healthy, but not in the game enough to make a difference. Expect other superstars on the bench to capitalize on his leave of absence.

13. Cesaro

When scouts look at Cesaro, they instantly think of William Regal. A vastly underrated talent that can excel in any capacity. Scouts are concerned, though, that they may have had vastly high expectations for him after his pairing with Paul Heyman last year. Now that he is back in the tag team division, his value as a singles competitor will waver for now, but he is an excellent team player and his pairing with Tyson Kidd has proven to be benefiting for him and the titles. Should he return to singles competition, recruiters recommend that he works on his microphone skills and his charisma. He has an unorthodox look, yes, but he has all the tools necessary to succeed. It’s time to utilize those tools and translate potential into actual results.

12. Luke Harper

Bruiser Brody and Test are some of the names that come to mind when Luke Harper’s name is brought up. The instant presumption is that Luke Harper is a sleeper. There have been many who are extremely impressed with his mobility for a man his size. His recent performance with Neville on Monday Night RAW further proved their presumptions about his diverse in-ring set. The primary concern is that all of these tools for Harper only exist in under certain circumstances. A majority of the major coaches and scouts in the game want to see Luke Harper used in a bigger capacity and not have his talent go to waste. His accents change from time to time, and he should add more personality to his character, but there’s no doubting that the potential is there for him to succeed. World championships aren’t out of the question, but he is constantly fading in and out. Consistency is the name of the game.

11. Neville

The fear that he may work under the “Mighty Mouse” gimmick instantly turned off recruiters, because his performance in NXT was stellar and proved to be a standout amongst the Sami Zayn’s and Tyler Breeze’s of the world. He instantly reminds scouts of a Billy Kidman type athlete. He’s small, but height is only a number. His recent performance in the King of The Ring tournament erased any doubts about his future potential, for now that is. His physique is absurd for a man his size, which only makes his antics and flexibility in the ring all the more impressive. With Daniel Bryan’s injury, scouts feel as though now is the time to capitalize on the opportunity and get his first taste of WWE gold. The recruiters don’t feel as though it is too early for him, but they would like to see him start to get more mic time and diversify his character. Anyone can be a high-flyer these days, but it takes real talent to be a standout. If anyone can do it, Adrian Neville absolutely can.


10. Dean Ambrose

He has the physical nature that is reminiscent of Mick Foley and has a great fearlessness about him. However, his comfort in staying in the mid-card and not have a desire to pursue the main event scene cancels it out. Not too long ago the scouts were amazed at his feud with Seth Rollins and his main event match against him at Hell In A Cell was sure to strengthen his career. Yet, Dean’s ability proves to be limited with certain partners, as was the case with Bray Wyatt. He has wandered aimlessly ever since that feud and recruiters fear that he may no longer be an asset. The possibilities were endless with Dean when scouts saw him with The Shield. He had a great meticulous feel on the microphone and his in-ring work was commendable. Now, scouts are starting to worry that they may have set the bar too high for Dean. They are still willing to give him a chance to see whether or not he can excel on a big stage or whether or not he is good for a couple of months under the son. Scouts would love nothing more than to see him as a main event player, but they want “The Lunatic Fringe” gimmick taken off him and get back to his evil ways. An ideal start is to lay Dolph Ziggler to waste for costing him a match in King of the Ring. For his current state is too similar to what you may see in a daredevil Disney character.

9. Bad News Barrett

All hope seemed to be lost for Bad News Barrett, because his jobber status while holding the Intercontinental Championship has made reason for the WWE draft board to come up with a new statistic just for him being VOXW (Value Over Xavier Woods). Recruiters certainly respect his bare-knuckle background and his physicality and potential aren’t in denial. There may be hope yet for Bad News as he has just been crowned the King of the Ring. He does look mighty fine in a robe. They want to see Bad News succeed badly. It is commonplace for young wrestlers to crack under the pressure and collapse like he did at Summerslam 2010. The faith and confidence in Bad News’ ability is still there, but now the question must be asked in regards to whether or not he will be a main-event caliber style guy again. Scouts have taken a healthy caution in deciding whether not a main event push would be out of the question, but with the World Heavyweight Championship being unified into the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, the opportunities won’t be there as much.

8. Roman Reigns

There is no doubt that Roman had something going in his stint with The Shield but the recruiters questioned his worthiness of getting a spot in the starting lineup by winning the Royal Rumble and main-eventing WrestleMania. But scouts have absolutely adored his ability to block out negativity and let his matches speak for themselves. He has arguably had the three best performances on PPV for the past three shows, and he will have another chance to steal the spotlight at Payback. Recruiters love his physique, and his Samoan background with legends such as The Rock and Rikishi strengthen his background. They want to see Roman improve more in the ring, and his microphone skills certainly leave a lot to be desired. Recruiters are convinced that Roman will take over the wrestling world one day if he is utilized in the right fashion, and he can prove to be a valuable asset. Scouts are sold on him, but keep in mind his match quality varies from opponent to opponent. He also runs a high risk of repeating moves which severely hurts his ring credibility. Another slight is that he seems to have great matches with respected ring generals like Lesnar and Bryan, but cannot replicate it with others. Big cause for concern.

7. Bray Wyatt

Scouts are in love with Bray Wyatt’s microphone abilities, and he may be second to perhaps none in that regard. However, they often find that his speaking starts to become aimless and contrived. Half the time, the reviewers don’t know what he may be referring to. His emergence as a cult-like rebel garnered comparisons to that of a Sean O’Haire. He has tremendous potential, and his match with the Undertaker at WrestleMania raised his stock even more. His durability in the game was also commended when he fought through that match with a severely sprained ankle. Without the use of Z-packs, no less. The problem of Bray’s wrestling career does not hinge on whether or not he has “it”, it’s whether or not WWE can trust him to carry the company. He has a ruffled, unorthodox look, and scouts have wondered if Vince McMahon will allow Bray Wyatt to carry the WWE Championship. Scouts have known to be on and off, but when used in the right program, he is capable of engaging the audience greatly. Scouts thought that he should have had more time spent in the Wyatt Family, but they are not giving up the slightest bit of hope on Bray. Scouts have no doubt Wyatt still has a chance to succeed, but they don’t appreciate the inconsistency.

6. Rusev

Very little was known about Rusev before he made his debut at the Royal Rumble last year, but the scouts have been in love with his in-ring capabilities. The closest comparison that was made to Bray was Samoa Joe. He has shown he is more than capable of holding his own with some of the bigger names in the company, not to mention that he has a great, clean look to him. Scouts are highly cautious of what will proceed after his feud with John Cena. Many are predicting for him to go down under once again at his upcoming “I Quit” Match against John Cena at Payback. Rusev is in a similar situation to Bray Wyatt last year. as he fell into irrelevancy after he lost the feud. Recruiters don’t want the same thing to happen to Rusev. While his mic skills aren’t all the way there yet, he has shown promise. Scouts have also told Rusev to improve his pinfall to submission victory ratio. They appreciate the technical style that he brings and he can be a destructive force in a vacuum. But many want to see him pick up more pinfall victories and get more out of his move set. All star player, and can be ascend into consistent all star status. But after Payback, his stock may plummet and you may reap the consequences.


5. Sheamus

Many scouts threw in the towel after his pedestrian three year run as a top face in the company. But then the scouts fell in love with his new repackaging by attacking fellow all stars Daniel Bryan and Dolph Ziggler the night after WrestleMania. Sheamus presents and old-school style of heel-dom as he portrayed with the fun he had at Zack Ryder’s expense. He is a tremendous in-ring talent, and shows great physicality, as shown by busting Daniel Bryan wide open not too long ago. Scouts want to see Sheamus slowly work his way back up in the main event spotlight, where he may be most effective. His feud with Dolph Ziggler right now will be no roadblock, and the scouts are confident that so long as he doesn’t change back into a good guy, this new attitude will propel him into future success. He already has held both World Championships, the United States Championship and a Royal Rumble victory underneath his belt. There is no doubt he can add to that should he remain this way.

4. Randy Orton

Third-generation superstar, fantastic look, and incredibly crisp in the ring. He executes all of his moves with great precision, has a great feel for the ring, and is able to get the crowd cheering and standing on its feet for a couple of seconds. Scouts also appreciate the fact that the 13 years (!!!!!) he has spent in the business hasn’t slowed down his in-ring acumen and his willingness to let some of the younger stars get some shine and victories over him. Of course, with these great strengths, it comes at a price. Scouts have noted Orton is known to have been easily agitated in the past with anger issues. He also has two strikes for violating WWE’s anti-drug policy and one more will end his career. He has shown great maturity since his last suspension so recruiters aren’t as concerned as they were before. He also has a tendency to repeat things he says in his promos, speak far too slowly and dull the crowd on. As of late, scouts have also noted he is working a bit too slowly in the ring and waits too much time before he makes the moves. They have noted that it may be the wrist tape and the arm bands. Scouts prefer him to pick up the pace. At 34 years old, he is still very fresh and should have plenty left in the tank, but the issue for him comes at how much success he will have remaining as a face. If he stays in one character for too long, the audience and fans want him to revert to the opposite side. It is preferred that Orton revert to his mid-to-late 2010 self and give an RKO to anyone who is in his way for optimal growth.

3. Dolph Ziggler

Billy Gunn is the first name that comes to mind. His athleticism and in-ring work ethic is elite and the fluidity that he shows in his matches are incredible at times. Some scouts feared that all of his wrestling ability works only in a vacuum, but Dolph has shown a great willingness to adjust his style from time to time and get out of his comfort zone. Recruiters felt as though that Ziggler put on a Superbowl MVP-like performance at the Survivor Series late last year when he overcame insurmountable odds, but instead of that propelling his career, it somehow became derailed. Scouts have no question in Dolph’s ability and feel as though the stagnation in his career is due to injuries and not being given a fair shake. His first world title run ended on the same night and the next World title reign was cut short after he suffered a real concussion at the hands of Jack Swagger (scouts have called Swagger a very dirty player and reckless). Ziggler isn’t by any means old, but he is starting to get up there in age. He turns 35 in July and his ceiling is starting to close little by little every day that he doesn’t make the most of out his potential. Some have called for Ziggler as a potential main event player at WrestleMania, and the potential is by all means there. However, at this point in Ziggler’s career, scouts have dubbed it “do or die” time. He has yet to win the WWE Championship. Something to keep in mind.


2. John Cena

Love him or hate him, he is the most marketable WWE superstar on the roster right now. He will surely do you economic success, but it is not just the outside that he is fluid in. He is capable of putting on tremendous matches with anyone, and despite some of the critics’ best critiques of his person, John is a tremendous athlete. The credentials speak for themselves, and for the first time in a long time, the scouts were pleasant in him winning a title at WrestleMania, as the United States Championship was slowly losing its standing in WWE. He is the type of wrestler coaches would drool over. He has experience in big time situations, and believe it or not, he has put over talent before, case in point his submission loss to Rusev at Fast Lane (his first submission loss since 2004). The issues the scouts have range from his constant pandering to the crowd in his promos to his oft-times inflated ego. He also seems to have an aversion to taking clean losses to younger talent than him when he himself has nothing to gain. Surely these are the qualities that are to be expected out of the face of the company for the past decade, but scouts point to those actions as to why Cena has a large percentage of the crowd booing him out of each arena. Despite that, Cena garners the most consistent crowd reactions in whatever arena he goes to, yet he does not care. He has gone into environments that has booed him ranging from his hometown (Night of Champions 2012) and crowds that have had built up ire and animosity for Cena and exposed it in a graphic manner (ECW One Night Stand). At the end of the day, he still works his tail off, performs at a high level and possesses what may be lacking in the WWE locker room these days, and that is a love for the business. You cannot put a number on that. Mild concern for steroid use.


1. Seth Rollins


The athleticism of Rob Van Dam, the ambition of Edge and the comfort of a 1993 Shawn Michaels contributes to the current WWE Champion as being the most valuable draft prospect that WWE has to offer today. Scouts thought Seth, as a member of The Shield, was going to be a face and be a mid-card guy. However, being the first person to cash in Money In The Bank at WrestleMania permanently crushed those thoughts. He has all the tools that you can ask for, not to mention that his attire and yellow/black hair matches perfectly with the WWE title. His ambition and desire to not be outdone in the ring is also a valuable asset. His Crossfit training has certainly payed dividends in regards to how it transfers to his in-ring work. The scandal that involved some of his private parts being exposed to the media was a cause for concern that WWE was not going to follow through with him. He has rebounded from that tremendously and has become the first Shield member to win the WWE Championship. His prolific style is perfect for what a heel champion such as him should have. Slight improvements to Seth’s game can be in the form of his mic-work and removing himself from aged, tired-out veterans such as Kane and The Big Show and be himself. His theme music can use a boost as his theme sounds far too generic for a WWE Champion. The future looks bright for Seth Rollins, and there seems to be no end in sight. That is a good thing. Scouts are waiting to see how he performs against a probable opponent for him during the summer, Brock Lesnar. Ladies and gentleman, the number 1 overall pick for the 2015 WWE Draft, Seth Rollins.


Notable Omissions:


Brock Lesnar: Extremely valuable in big-match situations, but isn’t shown enough in a wrestling capacity. Number 1 pick if he shows up more often.

Paige: Starting to prove to be a vastly overrated Diva. Tremendous wrestling background, but not enough to last more than a few weeks.

Nikki Bella: Clearly better than her sister, but there’s nothing much about her that makes you think she can go anywhere further. Her ceiling may have already been realized.

Erick Rowan: Many want to get behind him badly, but he’s too deficient in the charisma department. A move to NXT to re-shape him is reccomended.

Tyson Kidd: Unbelievable talent in the ring, but is in the same boat as Erick in everything else. Has some work to do.

The Big Show: Great veteran presence, but too slow in the ring and not nearly as intimidating as he was in his prime.

Kane: *See The Big Show*


Remember people, this was strictly for fun. Not to be taken too seriously. Until next time.

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