5 NXT stars who should have been called up in the 2021 WWE Draft 

#4 Former WWE NXT Cruiserweight Champion Santos Escobar

WWE NXT 2.0 Superstar Santos Escobar is one of the most charismatic stars on WWE's developmental brand.

Escobar was one of the longest-reigning NXT Cruiserweight Champions in WWE history and is currently the leader of Legado del Fantasma.

While there's plenty for Escobar to achieve in NXT 2.0, many assumed that the former NXT Cruiserweight Champion would be called up to either RAW or SmackDown during the 2021 WWE Draft.

Santos Escobar is one of the most seasoned competitors in NXT 2.0 and certainly appears to be "ready for primetime."

Legado del Fantasma is currently feuding with Hit Row on NXT television. However, Hit Row are now members of the SmackDown roster after being called up during Night 1 of the 2021 WWE Draft on SmackDown last week.

With the feud between the two factions seemingly nearing a conclusion, perhaps Escobar should've been called up also.

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#3 Former WWE Million Dollar Champion LA Knight

LA Knight has certainly made a splash since debuting in WWE NXT earlier this year.

The former Eli Drake signed with WWE in February and made his debut on the NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day pre-show.

Knight has primarily spent his time in WWE developmental feuding with Cameron Grimes and WWE Hall of Famer "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase over the fabled Million Dollar Championship.

The 38-year-old star defeated Cameron Grimes at NXT TakeOver: In Your House in a Ladder Match to capture the Million Dollar Title. However, he quickly dropped the title back to Grimes at NXT TakeOver 36 this summer.

Since then, LA Knight has pursued the NXT Championship to little success. The opening match of NXT 2.0's revamp show saw Knight lose decisively to standout star Bron Breakker.

After that loss, many assumed that LA Knight was headed to RAW or SmackDown. However, he's still a member of developmental. At 38 years old, LA Knight is a seasoned competitor and a fantastic talker with a great physical look.

So, it's all the more surprising that the former Million Dollar Champion is not a part of the roster on Monday or Friday nights.