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We are nearing the 18-month mark since the latest brand split occurred in July of 2016. The WWE Draft was held in Worcester, Massachusetts on July 19th during the live premiere of SmackDown Live on the USA Network.
This marked the second time in the history of the WWE that the roster split between Raw and SmackDown, with the first occurring in 2002. This brand extension would last until August of 2011.
With the growth of NXT as a brand rather than a developmental territory, the depth of the WWE roster reached heights that hadn't been seen since the first brand split shortly after Vince McMahon purchased WCW and brought a lot of their talent over.
The WWE Draft in July of 2016 consisted of six televised rounds of 30 total picks, followed by 29 more supplemental picks that took place on the WWE Network after SmackDown Live went off the air.
This article is going to take a look at five of those supplemental picks that have done well for themselves on the main roster during the past 18 months. They include someone who survived the release of their tag team partner, a monster, a princess, a glowing former champion, and a four-time champion.
Continue on to witness the first diamond in the rough from the WWE Draft of 2016.
#5 Aiden English (SmackDown Live - Round 10 - Pick 53)
Aiden English was one of the last draft picks in 2016 when he and Simon Gotch were taken 53rd overall as The Vaudevillains. This tag team actually made their debut a few months prior on the first SmackDown Live after WrestleMania.
Thought The Vaudevillains were successful in NXT, they never gained any traction on the main roster. Just a few days after WrestleMania 33, Simon Gotch was released, and English would become a singles competitor.
After the release of Gotch, English would thrive. He'd have solid matches with superstars such as Randy Orton, and his singing gimmick (that he had prior to the Vaudevillains in NXT) was starting to get over.
Now as a part of the "Rusev Day" team, English's popularity has never been higher. There is a lot of potential in this pairing, and there is a very good chance that they could have tag team gold in 2018.
#4 Naomi (SmackDown Live - Round 8 - Pick 39)
It took eight years of hard work, but 2017 was definitely the year of the glow for Naomi. From being a Funkadactyl to WWE SmackDown Women's Champion, the road to stardom was a long one for Naomi.
At the time of the WWE Draft in July of 2016, she was showing promise as a competitor in the women's division, but was easily lost in the shuffle during the Women's Revolution. SmackDown saw the promise and took Naomi in the eight round as the 39th overall pick.
At Elimination Chamber this past February, Naomi won her first title when she captured the WWE SmackDown Women's Championship. In total, she has won the title twice, and she is only one of two women to have won that title more than once (Alexa Bliss is the other).
The talent was always there for Naomi, and adding a little flair with her glowing entrance gained her massive popularity with the WWE Universe. There is no doubt there will be more titles in Naomi's future.
#3 Carmella (SmackDown Live - Round 11 - Pick 59 / Last Pick)
Many of the WWE Universe wondered how Carmella would function once she was separated from Enzo Amore and Big Cass. In the WWE Draft of 2016, she was the very last pick at #59, and she has proven that she belongs on the main roster and can stand on her own.
History was made when the women had their own Money In The Bank Ladder Match this past June, with Carmella coming out the winner. Putting the first-ever briefcase on Carmella shows that the WWE has faith in her abilities.
In the history of the briefcase for the men, it's almost a guarantee that the one holding the briefcase will successfully cash in and become champion. It's hard to fathom that the first ever women's winner is going to fail on their attempt to cash in.
Though Carmella has not held gold in the WWE, she's been worth her weight in gold considering she was the absolute final draft pick.
#2 Braun Strowman (Monday Night Raw - Round 10 - Pick 48)
Another WWE Superstar who hasn't won gold yet, but is guaranteed for some in 2018 would be the Monster Among Men, Braun Strowman.
In the WWE Draft, an astonishing 47 picks were made before then Raw General Manager Mick Foley and Commissioner Stephanie McMahon selected Strowman. To be fair, he was still an unknown as part of the Wyatt Family, but in 2017, he evolved into one of the top superstars in the company with his amazing athleticism and strength.
Strowman had a couple of chances to take the WWE Universal Championship from Brock Lesnar, but would come up short in the end. He has another chance at the Royal Rumble in a couple of weeks, and the fact that Raw received someone that made it to the top of the card in the 10th round is truly a steal.
#1 Alexa Bliss (SmackDown Live - Round 9 - Pick 47)
Clearly SmackDown Live hit the jackpot in the WWE Draft of 2016 as Alexa Bliss is the fourth entry of five from the blue brand on this list. Though Bliss is now on Monday Night Raw, she made a gigantic impact as a surprise draft choice by Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon late in the supplemental rounds.
Bliss really started to make an impact in NXT when she turned heel and helped Blake & Murphy become NXT Tag Team Champions, but she never held gold of her own.
The draft pick surprised many at the time, but in a very short time, Bliss started to prove in the ring and on the microphone that she belonged in SmackDown Live. Just a couple of weeks after being drafted, she would defeat SmackDown's top women's pick Becky Lynch.
In the 18 months since her main roster debut, Bliss has become one of the top stars in the women's division with a total of four championships (two on SmackDown and two on Raw). Considering she was drafted 47th overall, it is safe to say that Bliss was the steal of the draft.
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