Assessing Future Of 10 WWE Stars Who Didn’t Make Royal Rumble 2017 Cut 

3. Curt Hawkins

It's strange to see a wrestler struggling so badly when they have solid in-ring skills, a good level of charisma and so much experience. Curt Hawkins is an also-ran on the SmackDown roster and that shows no sign of changing as 2017 progresses. The fact he wasn't in the Rumble proves just how far down the rankings Hawkins is.

When he crash-landed back on WWE television as part of the blue brand last July, it looked like Curt's new cocky gimmick would help him secure a mid-card slot, at least. That hasn't really happened. The lack of a slot in the 30-man Royal Rumble is indicative of how expendable the guy is already.

Hawkins is another one of those on SmackDown who will likely need to move aside upon the promotion of NXT stars. That's not a good position to be in. Left without a clear feud or even a storyline, the unfortunate Curt has become a jobber to the stars on SmackDown.

Bringing him back into the fold seems pointless, if he's not going to be used correctly. Hawkins has taken to his new character with aplomb. And yet, creative do nothing with him.