WWE is shaking up their rosters once again with another Draft. Fans have come to expect the unexpected, and this year will be no different.
The 2024 WWE Draft is scheduled for Friday, April 26 during SmackDown and Monday, April 29 during RAW. To streamline the process, the rosters were divided into two Draft Pools.
Through all the excitement, there is also some worry within NXT. A concern exists that WWE may pick their developmental brand clean after this year’s draft. Ilja Dragunov is the only name that has been announced for the draft, but each nigh is likely to include new NXT call-ups.
To start things off, Paul Heyman revealed that Roman Reigns pulled himself from draft eligibility. He said that Roman is not returning in the immediate future, so he will not be anyone’s first draft pick this year.
JUST ANNOUNCED BY @HeymanHustle: @WWERomanReigns has voluntarily withdrawn himself from the 2024 #WWEDraft… ?#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/ZuL8du6CWQ
— WWE (@WWE) April 27, 2024
Round One
*Announced by Triple H & Cody Rhodes
RAW
Jey Uso
Seth “Freakin'” Rollins
SmackDown
Bianca Belair
Carmelo Hayes
Here are your first round #WWEDraft picks… ?@WWEgames #WWE2K24 #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/p0j5MTuD3q
— WWE (@WWE) April 27, 2024
Round Two:
*Announced by Torrie Wilson & Michelle McCool
RAW:
Bron Breakker
Liv Morgan
SmackDown:
Randy Orton
Nia Jax
Here are your SECOND ROUND #WWEDraft picks… ?@WWEgames #WWE2K24 #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/O7CEYNJs1u
— WWE (@WWE) April 27, 2024
Round Three:
*Announced by Bubba Ray & D-Von Dudley
RAW:
Ricochet
Sheamus
SmackDown:
LA Knight
The Bloodline (Solo Sikoa, Tama, & Paul Heyman)
Here are your THIRD ROUND #WWEDraft picks… ?@WWEgames #WWE2K24 #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/MUBnprhXD0
— WWE (@WWE) April 27, 2024
Round Four:
*Announced by Teddy Long & JBL
RAW:
Alpha Academy (Chad Gable, Otis, Maxxine Dupri, Akira Tozawa)
Kiana James
SmackDown:
AJ Styles
Andrade
Here are your FOURTH ROUND #WWEDraft picks… ?@WWEgames #WWE2K24 #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/UIAZ6wVN4c
— WWE (@WWE) April 27, 2024
Supplemental Draft Picks
RAW:
Alba Fye & Isla Dawn
Ivar
Shayna Baszler
Zoey Stark
SmackDown:
Baron Corbin
Cedric Alexander & Ashante ‘Thee’ Adonis
The OC (Luke Gallows, Karl Anderson, Michin)
NXT Call-Ups
WWE usually calls up a few NXT Superstar with their draft. This year was no exception. Carmelo Hayes and Kiana James were called up to the main roster. Hayes was in the building for SmackDown, where he got right to business by challenging Cody Rhodes.
2024 WWE Draft Rules
The 2024 WWE Draft will allocate 16 picks over four rounds to SmackDown and 24 picks over six rounds to RAW, reflecting RAW’s longer runtime. Champions are exempt from the draft, except for Women’s Tag Team Champions, who are excluded from the Draft Pool.
SmackDown will pick first on Friday, and RAW will get its first choice the following Monday, with final rosters set by May 6th.
Following new TV deals, SmackDown is moving to the USA Network and RAW to Netflix. The full effects of RAW’s switch to Netflix will be seen from October 2025. Unless WWE plans a roster shake-up, these rosters will initiate the new media rights agreements.
