Rank 8: Michael Tarver
I think the WWE Universe is quite unanimous on this one. Tarver has been the least impressive among the rookies for me. He has tried to differentiate himself by refusing to participate in challenges, but that has only worked against him. I kind of feel bad for him in that he probably has the least appealing of the Pros in Carlito. Still, Tarver has not done much to warrant anything other than early elimination.
Rank 7: Darren Young
CM Punk's Rookie is decent in the ring, and seems enthusiastic and likeable. Somewhere down the line he might earn a shot on the main roster, but right now he hasn't really captured my imagination. He would have been a hell of a lot more interesting if he had joined the Straight Edge Society, but obviously they'd be reluctant to put a Rookie in that big a role. I like Young, though, and would not be surprised to see him on Raw or SD sometime in the future.
Rank 6: Skip Sheffield
I like this guy. He's not dazzling in the ring or electric on the mic, but you can see that he's a competitor and loves what he does. I'm glad he's shed the dumb comedic gimmick he was doing at the beginning, and I think it would be well-advised to drop the "Cornfed Meathead" moniker too. I see potential in Sheffield at least as a solid midcard heel. He has one of the best Pros (William Regal) in terms of mentoring ability, so I think he could be one of the surprises of this show.
Rank 5: Heath Slater
Slater's another guy with very decent ring skills. Also, he seems like another likable chap, and you can tell he's being himself. Now that's generally a good thing, but I fear it may not be enough to take Slater into the Final Four. The slightly exaggerated heel characters like Otunga and Barrett, along with the guys that are really good in the ring like Bryan and Gabriel, are likely to sustain attention more over this short span. While Slater's good and seems to be liked by management (read the win over Jericho), I think at this point there are catchier characters on the show. That being said, I definitely give him a thumbs up in terms of being a potential recruit for the main roster.
Rank 4: Daniel Bryan
Oh, where do I begin. Bryan Danielson was the Wrestling Observer Newsletter's "Most Outstanding Wrestler" four years in a row (2006-2009). He was also their "Best Technical Wrestler" five years in a row (2005-2009). They gave him the gimmick of "Best Wrestler in the World" in ROH, and by the time he left to sign with WWE, a lot of people in the wrestling world agreed. People said the move to WWE would kill his career. We were optimistic. Then WWE changed his name to "Daniel Bryan" because he wouldn't sell the rights to his real name. We were optimistic. They announced the "Best Wrestler in the World" would start his WWE stint as a "Rookie", and there was outrage. We were still optimistic. They announced "The Miz", who has less than half his experience, would mentor him, and the internet erupted. But we still held on to hope. Then we saw the hugely entertaining friction between The Miz and Bryan ("He looks like my accountant") seemed to be the focus of the show, Bryan got to wrestle a great little match against Jericho on the second episode, and we smiled. Of course, after a few weeks our guy was 0-4, but that was just a losing streak angle right? He was ordained to win this thing and feud with The Miz from the start..... As it stands weeks later, Daniel Bryan has a 0-9 record. He has even lost to Darren Young and Skip Sheffield- clean. I don't know if WWE is intentionally burying him. Even if he now stages a miraculous turnaround, I fear too much damage has already been done. If this ranking was based solely on wrestling ability, it would not even be a contest. But I cannot rank Bryan any higher based on what we've seen so far on NXT. And we are not optimistic.
Rank 3: Justin Gabriel
Sorry for the rant about Bryan. Gabriel's #2 behind Bryan in terms of wrestling ability. He has also connected very well with the crowd, and comes across as a very pleasant kid who's enjoying every moment of what he's doing. Also, he's the first South African to wrestle for WWE. Anything that differentiates you is good. Gabriel is extremely agile and athletic, and yet not very small. The only thing he has shown to be lacking is the promo ability. But then, he can always work on that. Matt Hardy, his pro, is a very positive and helpful person, and I think he will contribute to Gabriel's development. He's a keeper for sure.
Rank 2: David Otunga
Ok, he's very green in the ring. But this guy had "Star" written all over him from the moment that first introductory video package was shown. ("Come on man, Google me.") I love the confidence and attitude he exudes. The audience hates him immediately because he flaunts his celebrity status. Listen to the crowd each week. It's always Otunga who gets the strongest reaction. The man is a natural heat magnet. He has a long way to go in the ring. I'd have someone like Regal, Finlay or Jericho working closely to develop Otunga in the ring. If he shows a willingness to work hard and not just coast on his natural charisma, the man is money. And Vince knows it.
Rank 1: Wade Barrett
I do not think it is a coincidence that this is Chris Jericho's rookie. I think most people would agree that Wade Barrett is the best all-round performer so far on NXT. He is solid in the ring, has the sort of size you'd look for in a main eventer, classy looks and very smooth verbal skills. He was brilliant in the Talk the Talk challenge, and has yet to lose his poise in any of the challenges unlike virtually every other Rookie. The guy conducts himself like a pro. And as if his natural abilities weren't enough, he has the best performer in the world as a mentor. Wade Barrett is the most impressive debut I've seen in a long time, and I would be very, very surprised if he does not become a World Champion one day.
