The NFL Draft has come and gone, and it is time to talk about the WWE version. News and rumors began circulating this week about a potential WWE Draft coming soon this year. If that does happen, here are sex big names who would benefit from a brand switch as top picks in the 2025 WWE Draft.
As of this writing, WWE has not announced if or when the draft will take place. While speaking on the Backstage Pass podcast, WrestleVotes commented they expect one at some point this year.
“The calendar gets a little tricky here. You’re going to get Backlash next week. You’re going to get Saturday Night’s Main Event two weeks after that. You’re going to get Money in the Bank two weeks after that. Three weeks after that you get the Saudi Arabia show. Then a week after that you get the rumored Evolution show. And then you calm down a bit before SummerSlam. So, there’s a lot going on. I don’t know exactly when and where they can pencil this Draft in, but I would expect one to happen.”
The WWE Draft is typically used to freshen up the rosters, but the success of doing that has not been the best in past years. This year, the Draft must move individuals around who are lost on their current show, getting them away from stagnant angles. Plus, WWE NXT needs to be better leveraged in this process. Names can’t be pulled from that show, just to sit in catering. NXT should also be seen as a place where main roster names can return to in order to get a fresh look in front of different fans.
With that in mind, here are the five names who need to move the most.
GUNTHER to SmackDown
Gunther has achieved all he could on Monday Night Raw. His run as WWE World Heavyweight Champion has come to an end after 259 days holding the title. Speculation is that his angle against Pat McAfee is going to open the door for a situation where he faces Bill Goldberg in the latter’s retirement match. Fans will certainly feel some type of way about that, mostly negative. With Seth Rollins and Bron Breakker aligning with Paul Heyman at the top of the card, Gunther feels like the odd one out in the main event picture. Moving him to SmackDown would help change that up, potentially pitting him against some new foes like LA Knight, Jacob Fatu and more.
Lash Legend to SmackDown
WWE broke fans’ hearts when Meta-Four was split up. They were an interesting group in WWE NXT, with Jakara Jackson and Lash Legend standing out the most. They should have had their moment as tag team champions, and perhaps that will come at some point in the future. But it looks like WWE is making the move to push Legend as a singles performer. If that’s the case, moving her to SmackDown would be the right decision. The women’s division on that show needs some star power and while Legend is still new, fans are more than ready to get behind her. She’d be a great fit for the midcard scene to see if she can develop into a main event performer.
Carmelo Hayes to Monday Night Raw
WWE needs to do something different with Carmelo Hayes. Fans online are comparing his main roster run to that of Lyra Valkyria, Tiffany Stratton, and Bron Breakker and things do not look good. While the others are grabbing titles and big angles, Hayes has been on television, but not in a way that has made an impact. His recent pairing with The Miz met with a myriad of sighs and eye rolls. Hayes is better than that. He has the potential to main event WrestleMania if WWE uses him right. Getting him off SmackDown, away from the Miz and into something fresh on Monday Night Raw would help.
Tavion Heights to Monday Night Raw
Listen, hearing the name “Tavion Heights” at any point during the 2025 WWE Draft would be a shock. But WWE has something special with the former Greco-Roman standout. The guy can wrestle and he looks fantastic throwing his opponents around the ring. He had some strong showings during his run in Japan and he continues to look good teaming with Myles Borne. WWE should take the shot and move him up, allowing him to flourish as a part of the midcard.
Chelsea Green, Piper Niven, and Alba Fyre to NXT
Chelsea Green is a great act on SmackDown. Fans love what she brings to WWE’s presentation of sports entertainment. Which is why so many were upset that she was left off WrestleMania 41. Moving all three members of the group to WWE NXT would give that division a boost, especially as it looks like several women are set to move to the main roster. Green could thrive as a main event performer on NXT and that brand could also set the stage where Niven steps out into her own as a title threat. It would be fun to see all three women get to express more of their characters on such a character-driven show.
Ludwig Kaiser to NXT
The NXT men’s division needs some help. The group isn’t nearly as interesting as the women’s division, and the in-ring isn’t anywhere as good either. Ludwig Kaiser would be an addition who could help in both ways. He has the look and the ability to be a threat to any champion. Plus, this would be a great step to build him up further as an individual star before sending him back to either SmackDown or Raw.