12 Most Impactful WWE Draft Picks In History

9. Edge to Raw – 2004

Returning from his broken neck in 2004, Edge was drafted to the Raw brand. This was his first time off SmackDown since the brand split began in 2002 and it was here that he made the biggest strides.

He quickly turned heel and his manic character led him to success, winning the first Money in the Bank ladder match at WrestleMania 21.

Edge was a mainstay of Raw for three years, having the brand’s best rivalries in 2006 as he wrestled Mick Foley and John Cena.

Edge is unquestionably remembered more as a SmackDown star but it was on Raw that he got his big break.

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8. Roman Reigns to Raw – 2016

Roman Reigns was not beloved by the WWE fans in 2016 but there are few with longer runs on top of a brand than Reigns on Raw after 2016.

Despite not being taken in the first round, Reigns was the company’s golden goose at the time. He main evented WrestleMania in 2017 and 2018 and was consistently pushed hard during that time, much to the audience’s chagrin.

Reigns didn’t change much as a performer during this time but the impact he made on the brand is unquestionable.

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7. Roman Reigns to SmackDown – 2019

Roman Reigns back to back, how about that. Reigns has spent less time on SmackDown than he did on Raw but it is hard to argue that he hasn’t done his best work on the Blue Brand.

Since returning at SummerSlam 2020 as a heel, Reigns has consistently been a highlight of SmackDown. He has been Universal Champion for over a year and has been in WWE’s best long-term storyline in recent memory with The Usos.

Had Reigns not been on SmackDown during the Thunderdome era, that show would have been an especially rough watch.

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