WWE Unveils Second Class Of ‘Next In Line’ NIL Program

WWE has unveiled its second class of the ‘Next In Line’ NIL collegiate athletes program, adding 15 new recruits to the program.

Following the December 2021 class, WWE has announced another wave of collegiate athletes who have signed on for WWE’s NIL program.

The program, officially announced in late 2021, allows WWE to recruit and develop future performers through collaborative partnerships with college athletes.

WWE shared the following to its corporate site:

WWE (NYSE: WWE) today unveiled 15 college athletes who will join the company’s NIL (Name, Image & Likeness) program – “Next In Line™” – that provides a clear pathway from collegiate athletics to WWE.

The second “Next In Line” class includes athletes from 14 universities, seven NCAA conferences and seven sports, including the program’s first athletes from cheer & dance, gymnastics, volleyball, men’s basketball and representation from an HBCU program.

Here is the list of athletes in the class:

Ali Mattox – Cheer & Dance (Ole Miss)
Case Hatch – Football (Arizona State)
Chandler Hayden – Track & Field (Tennessee)
Cohlton Schultz – Wrestling (Arizona State)
Derrian Gobourne – Gymnastics (Auburn)
Ericka Link – Volleyball (Elon)
Keshaun Moore – Football (Hampton)
Luke Ford – Football (Illinois)
Maliq Carr – Football/Basketball (Michigan State)
Mikala Hall – Basketball (Central Michigan)
Rachel Glenn – Track & Field (South Carolina)
Ruben Banks – Track & Field (Arkansas)
Thunder Keck – Football (Stanford)
Tyanna Omazic – Volleyball (Miami)
Zachary Knighton-Ward – Wrestling (Hofstra)

You can view the line-up of the inaugural class right here.

Meet the second class of college athletes to join WWE's "Next In Line" program! #WWENIL pic.twitter.com/I8SxWNFD7M

— WWE Recruit (@WWERecruit) June 13, 2022