'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Every time the WWE Draft rolls around, the fans are understandably excited. The change in direction and scenery for various WWE Superstars adds to the drama. Therefore, the first pick of every such occasion is always one that is met with much interest.
The likes of John Cena, The Rock, and Becky Lynch have all been the number one pick in the WWE Draft. But there have been quite a few high-profile names who were the final person selected by either RAW, SmackDown, or in one case, ECW.
The format of the WWE Draft has changed over the years, as has the manner and timing of the final draft pick. In some cases, there has been a supplemental draft in continuation of the televised portion of the event. Other times have seen the entire WWE Draft be conducted solely on-screen.
This does not include post-Draft trades, as well as batches of Superstars being drafted together after the show. With that being said, the list of WWE stars who were the final draft pick is pretty stacked.
Let's take a look at all 10 Superstars who were the final pick of the WWE Draft and find out where they are now.
#10 Perry Saturn (WWF Draft 2002)
The 57th and final pick of the first-ever WWF Draft, Perry Saturn fell a long way during his time in the company. He had debuted as part of the Radicalz, alongside the likes of Eddie Guerrero and Chris Benoit, but quickly became an undercard act. Saturn injured his ACL shortly after moving to SmackDown in 2002, before being released by WWE.
The former WCW Television Champion wrestled in TNA and NJPW among other places, before retiring in 2004. After a brief comeback in the early 2010s, Saturn had some issues with drugs and CTE, even being homeless at one point after his wrestling career. He seems to have overcome all of those problems, as of last year.
#9 Paul Heyman (WWE Draft 2004)
The 2004 WWE Draft had a couple of surprises, including Triple H moving to SmackDown and the final pick. General managers Eric Bischoff and Paul Heyman were at odds throughout the night, with the animosity culminating in the latter being selected by RAW during the draft lottery. This was the only time general managers were eligible for the WWE Draft. Heyman decided to quit RAW on the spot.
Since then, he has been in charge of OVW and the rebranded ECW. Heyman left WWE in late 2006 and returned in 2012, as Brock Lesnar's manager. He has been incredibly successful in the role. Paul Heyman is now the "special counsel" to the Tribal Chief, Roman Reigns, having previously managed other Superstars alongside his services as Lesnar's advocate.
#8 Batista (WWE Draft 2005)
The WWE Draft took place over a few weeks in 2005, starting and ending with a bang. WWE Champion John Cena moved to RAW as the first pick of the WWE Draft, leaving SmackDown without a World Champion. That was until Batista made his way to the Blue brand three weeks later. He went on to become one of the faces of SmackDown.
Batista left WWE in 2010 to pursue an acting career. He returned briefly in 2014 but is now primarily known for his work as Drax the Destroyer in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Batista retired from WWE in 2019, after facing Triple H at WrestleMania 35. It's fair to say that the Animal has done pretty well for himself as a Hollywood star.
#7 Johnny Nitro (WWE Draft 2007)
Starting in 2007, the WWE Draft was no longer restricted to TV. The company held a supplemental draft a few days after the show, with RAW, SmackDown, and ECW all getting additional picks. The 23rd and final one was Johnny Nitro, who won the ECW Championship and was repackaged as John Morrison within weeks of being picked. He also began a tag team with The Miz during his time on ECW.
Fast forward to 2020, and Morrison is once again teaming with The Miz. He had a solid career in WWE, before leaving and wrestling in various places like IMPACT Wrestling and Lucha Underground. John Morrison returned to WWE at the end of 2019 and is currently on SmackDown, although it is possible that he moves to RAW over the coming week during this year's WWE Draft.
#6 Kofi Kingston (WWE Draft 2008)
Kofi Kingston's WWE journey began on the ECW brand in 2008, before the WWE Draft sent him to RAW. He was the 28th and final pick during the supplemental draft but made an instant impact on RAW. Days after the move, Kingston won the Intercontinental Championship at Night of Champions against Chris Jericho. His career has only gotten better over time.
Having been a fixture in WWE's mid-card scene, Kingston truly became a megastar in the company as part of the New Day, alongside Big E and Xavier Woods. The three-man team is among the greatest in WWE history and even propelled Kofi Kingston towards the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 35. While currently out with a back injury, he could return soon and instantly become a Tag Team Champion again.
#5 Brie Bella (WWE Draft 2009)
The WWE Draft in 2009 saw the supplemental draft transpire on the same day as the televised portion of it. 36 picks were made in total, the largest for a WWE Draft that did not draft the entire roster from scratch. The last one was Brie Bella, who moved from SmackDown to RAW. She followed her twin sister, Nikki Bella, who was the 19th pick.
The Bella Twins gained quite a following in WWE, as well as outside the company. They are set to become WWE Hall of Famers, as their induction was confirmed prior to this year's canceled edition. Brie retired from WWE in 2016, although she did make a brief comeback two years later. She is married to WWE Superstar Daniel Bryan and they have two children together.
#4 MVP (WWE Draft 2010)
Hardly the most prominent name on the roster at the time, MVP was the 19th and final pick of the 2010 WWE Draft. He went to SmackDown but did nothing of note. MVP left WWE by the end of the year, wrestling across the independent circuit in the following years. His most notable post-WWE runs came in NJPW and TNA, where he formed the Beat Down Clan.
MVP returned to WWE this year, entering the Royal Rumble Match as a surprise. Since then, his presence on RAW has grown exponentially. MVP is the mouthpiece of the Hurt Business, single-handedly improving the stocks of Bobby Lashley, Shelton Benjamin, and Cedric Alexander in WWE. The group has a high ceiling on RAW.
#3 Sheamus (WWE Draft 2011)
The final WWE Draft of the first brand split came in 2011, with 30 picks being made. Two of them were John Cena, as he moved to SmackDown and back to RAW on the same night. Anyway, the final Superstar to be picked in the supplemental draft was Sheamus, who was the United States Champion at the time. He moved to SmackDown with the belt but lost it the same week at Extreme Rules.
Sheamus turned babyface and won the World Heavyweight Championship less than a year later, making his move to SmackDown a rousing success. After multiple singles and tag team titles, the Celtic Warrior finds himself back on the Blue brand. He is set to face Big E in a Falls Count Anywhere Match on the upcoming WWE Draft edition of SmackDown.
#2 Carmella (WWE Draft 2016)
The brand split returned in 2016, as did the WWE Draft. Every Superstar found out their new permanent homes, with six of them coming from NXT. The last one of them, Carmella, was the 59th pick of the WWE Draft. She was the final Superstar to be drafted on the night, debuting on SmackDown with a visible point to prove. She has done so, over the years.
Carmella has been a success on WWE's main roster, winning the first-ever women's Money in the Bank Ladder Match. She went on to win the SmackDown Women's Championship and has been a regular fixture on the Blue brand. After months of absence, Carmella returned to WWE TV last week and turned heel in a backstage vignette.
#1 Liv Morgan (WWE Draft 2019)
After three years of Superstar Shake-ups, the WWE Draft returned in October 2019. The company needed to reset the rosters after the Wildcard Rule had ruined the sanctity of the brand split. 50 Superstars were drafted on TV, with 20 picks on SmackDown and 30 on RAW. A supplemental draft happened online after both nights, however, the additional picks were not announced in batches so they are not considered here.
The 30th and final Superstar to be drafted on Night Two of the WWE Draft was Liv Morgan, who only appeared on the last RAW of the year. Since then, she has been a solid presence in the midcard. Morgan recently reunited with Ruby Riott, with the pair challenging for the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship this past week on RAW.
Do you love to play crosswords, Wordle or other exciting games? We'd like to connect with you. Fill the form here!
