2002 was a year of experiments for the WWE. Still feeling the aftershock of a highly successful Attitude Era, the company was transitioning into more of a family-friendly type of programming. At this time, more and more children were starting to get into wrestling and the overall product was evolving from its edgier past, into what was ultimately known as the PG Era.
In the years since, the draft has been a tool used to shake things up, or create a different approach to what was often a stagnant period for WWE. Some will agree that the draft was a critical key to the success of the Ruthless Aggression Era as well.
Regardless of which year, there's always at least one selection that leaves fans scratching their heads in utter disbelief that a certain superstar was taken so low in a respective draft.
In this column, we take a quick look at five of those picks that were taken surprisingly low.
5. TOMMY DREAMER (2002)
2002 Draft: #52, RAW
In the inaugural WWE Draft, fans were very surprised to see an ECW Original like Tommy Dreamer slip all the way to the 52nd selection, in a draft where there were 57 selections made.
Dreamer was a part of the ECW acquisition, a promotion which essentially became the third WWE brand. Dreamer was undoubtedly one of the cornerstones of the ECW success story. Having developed a near cult-like following before arriving in WWE, Hardcore original fans were very shocked to see The Innovator of Violence slide to such a low pick.
4. BRIE BELLA (2009)
2009 Draft: #36, RAW
This pick might surprise some readers, considering the fact that Brie isn't really the most popular of the two Bellas, but she was taken with the very last and final selection in the WWE Draft.
Not too long after this, The Bella Twins would go on to enjoy an enormous amount of success. Featured in nearly every episode of Raw during this time, Brie and Nikki had certainly made up for any lack of in-ring skill, by being a very unique brand of their own.
It's also worth noting that in that very same draft, Nikki was taken with the 19th pick. Meanwhile, Dolph Ziggler was selected at number 32.
3. SHEAMUS (2011)
2011 Draft: #30, Smackdown
Like Brie Bella in 2009, Sheamus was the final pick of the 2011 draft. Names such as Tyler Reks and Yoshi Tatsu went ahead of Sheamus in the 2011 WWE draft.
It's important to note that in the months and years just prior to the 2011 draft, Sheamus was enjoying top tier success. He had been King of the Ring, WWE Champion and United States Champion. All of these accolades, only to fall to the very last pick in the entire draft.
2. CHRIS JERICHO (2002)
2002 Draft: #25, Smackdown
The 2002 draft came along just months after Chris Jericho experienced what was arguably the most successful period of his WWE tenure. Having defeated both The Rock, who was the WCW champion and Stone Cold Steve Austin, who was the WWF champion at Vengeance, Jericho became the first ever Undisputed Champion.
Chris Jericho was an intricate part of WCW's success in the companies later years, Y2J was surging in what was then still known as WWF. However, there wasn't much value placed in his stock at the 2002 draft. Even names such as Maven went before Jericho in the draft.
1. BROCK LESNAR/PAUL HEYMAN (2002)
2002: #16, RAW
This is quite possibly the most valuable pick of any draft to date. Brock Lesnar at this time, was still pretty fresh into the industry. Drafted along with his advocate, Paul Heyman with the 16th overall selection, Brock would move on from this point and simply dominate professional wrestling.
In June, Lesnar won the King of the Ring tournament. Then, at the age of 25, Brock Lesnar would become the youngest ever WWE Champion.
Taken at number 16, Lesnar fell behind superstars such as Rikishi, in the 2002 draft.
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