10 WWE Superstars Who Weren't Drafted (And Why)
7. Austin Aries
Although several NXT athletes definitely made an impact on the WWE Draft on July 19th, one man that did not get the call up that many expected to was Austin Aries.
Unlike NXT flagship performers like Samoa Joe and Shinsuke Nakamura, Aries didn't appear to be cemented into the future plans of NXT (No Way Jose, notwithstanding) and thus, the opportunity for a main roster promotion was there.
Because Nakamura vs. Joe will headline NXT Takeover: Brooklyn II, it would have been surprising to see either man make the move to RAW or SmackDown beforehand. Aries, however, would've made a wise addition to either the red or blue brand.
Unlike some of the younger talents at the Performance Center, Aries already has the experience needed to make it to the big leagues and could make the jump tomorrow, if needed. As it is, Aries was not drafted and will remain in NXT for the foreseeable future, likely receiving a bump in his status given the promotion of several of his NXT colleagues.