WWE announces Draft rules, talent pools for Raw and SmackDown

We’ve been waiting for some details on this year’s WWE Draft since it was announced a couple weeks back.

This is the first Draft of the so-called “Triple H Era”, after all. There are also authority figures in place on each brand and a budding rivalry between Raw General Manager Adam Pearce and SmackDown GM Nick Aldis. Will this finally be the year WWE’s version resembles an actual sports draft like the NFL’s?

It’s still early to tell, but we do have some rules. WWE posted them on Twitter/X and their website this afternoon (April 24):

• SmackDown will have four rounds, 16 total picks

• Raw will have six rounds, 24 total picks

• Champions on each brand are protected

• WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions (Asuka & Kairi Sane) are eligible

• SmackDown will pick first on Friday

• Raw will pick first on Monday

• Rosters lock on May 6th

Champions, with the exception of the Women’s Tag titleholders who were always supposed to float between brands, is a good start. It means Undisputed WWE champ Cody Rhodes, Women’s champion Bayley, WWE Tag Team champs Grayson Waller & Austin Theory, and United States champion Logan Paul will remain on SmackDown, while WWE World champ Damian Priest, Women’s World champ Becky Lynch, WWE World Tag Team titleholders R-Truth & The Miz, and Intercontinental champion Sami Zayn will stick with Raw.

Pools of talent that are available to be taken each night were also announced.

Eligible to be drafted on the April 26 SmackDown:

• AJ Styles
• Alba Fyre & Isla Dawn
• Alpha Academy (Otis, Chad Gable, Maxxine Dupri & Akira Tozawa)
• Bianca Belair
• Ricochet
• Randy Orton
• Nia Jax
• Liv Morgan
• LA Knight
• Jey Uso
• Ivar
• Cedric Alexander & Ashante ‘Thee’ Adonis
• Bron Breakker
• Seth Rollins
• Shayna Baszler
• Sheamus
• The Bloodline (Roman Reigns, Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga & Paul Heyman)
• The O.C. (Karl Anderson, Luke Gallows & Michin)
• Zoey Stark
• “Plus NXT Superstars”

Eligible to be drafted on the April 29 Raw:

• Braun Strowman
• #DIY (Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa)
• Apollo Crews
• Bronson Reed
• Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell
• Chelsea Green & Piper Niven
• CM Punk
• The Creeds (Brutus Creed, Julius Creed & Ivy Nile)
• Imperium (Gunther & Ludwig Kaiser)
• Giovanni Vinci
• The Final Testament (Karrion Kross, AOP, Paul Ellering & Scarlett)
• Drew McIntyre
• Damage CTRL (Kabuki Warriors, IYO SKY & Dakota Kai)
• Judgment Day (Finn Bálor, JD McDonagh & Dominik Mysterio)
• Kayden Carter & Katana Chance
• Kevin Owens
• Legado Del Fantasma (Santos Escobar, Angel, Berto & Elektra Lopez)
• Naomi
• Natalya
• The Pride (Bobby Lashley, Street Profits & B-Fab)
• Tegan Nox
• Shinsuke Nakamura
• Pretty Deadly (Kit Wilson & Elton Prince)
• Odyssey Jones
• The New Day (Xavier Woods & Kofi Kingston)
• New Catch Republic (Pete Dunne & Tyler Bate)
• Tiffany Stratton
• LWO (Rey Mysterio, Carlito, Dragon Lee, Joaquin Wilde, Cruz Del Toro & Zelina Vega)
• Jade Cargill
• “Plus NXT Superstars”

For the most part, you’re in the pool for the show you’re currently assigned to. There are some exceptions though, and a few names that are currently out listed.

There’s no mention of NXT getting to make their own picks, as had been rumored. Based on the way they’re listed on WWE.com, it would seem tag teams and factions will be drafted together, so we’re not sure if splitting teammates will still be in play.

Don’t be surprised if these pools change before Friday. And don’t expect to know where everyone will be after Monday; the extra week before rosters lock will allow time for trades and free agent signings.

It’s an intriguing start to what’s always an interesting process. And it should be enough to tide over WWE Draft analysts until Friday night.