WWE NXT Big Board: Updated Prospect Rankings and Analysis for Oct. 10

WWE NXT's top prospects remain on their respective thrones, but the gap between them and their peers is closing.

In Sami Zayn's case, stumbles in the promo department are making it easier to argue for Adrian Neville to overtake him. Sasha Banks is still the boss of NXT's Divas division, but Becky Lynch is charging up behind her and Charlotte. 

The tightening race to be WWE developmental's best will be more crowded before long. 

Finn Balor's debut will air on Nov. 6, per ProWrestling.net (note: link contains spoilers). The Divas are getting added competition as well.

On Thursday's NXT, Enzo Amore convinced William Regal to give Carmella a tryout on next week's show. The first glimpses of her reveal plenty of spark.  

It looks as if the list of top Divas is destined to be reordered. 

The following rankings don't include prospects who haven't appeared on NXT TV yet, so Solomon Crowe, Balor and Chad Gable aren't eligible.

Prospects are ordered based on a combination of wrestling ability, showmanship skills, mic work, size, gimmick and look. Great performances and demonstrated improvement allow wrestlers to move up the list.

The Superstars

Rank	Wrestler	Height/Weight	Notes
1.	Sami Zayn	6'1'', 205 lbs	Best all-around prospect, excellent showman, consistently produces quality matches
2.	Adrian Neville	5'10'', 194 lbs	Top-tier high-flyer, produces great matches, improving on the mic
3.	Tyler Breeze	6'0'', 190 lbs	Athletic, charismatic, is maximizing his gimmick
4.	Hideo Itami	5'9'', 182 lbs	Highest ceiling in NXT, improving English and mic skills will be key for this great mat worker
5.	Colin Cassady	6'10'', 276 lbs	Big, charismatic, becoming more key to duo with Enzo Amore
6.	Kalisto	5'6'', 170 lbs	Fantastic athlete and high-flyer with below-average mic skills
7.	Bull Dempsey	6'2'', 300 lbs	Skilled brawler, good showman, impressive on the mic
8.	Viktor	6'2'', 219 lbs	One of NXT's better mat workers, has few opportunities to show above-average mic skills
9.	Konnor	6'4'', 265 lbs	Powerful, intense with plenty of size
10.	Enzo Amore	5'11'', 200 lbs	Poor in the ring, elite on the mic, extremely charismatic
11.	Aiden English	6'3'', 215 lbs	Charismatic, fun gimmick, solid wrestler
12.	Baron Corbin	6'8'', 275 lbs	Big, explosive, with marketable look, but raw
13.	Simon Gotch	6'1'', 221 lbs	Underrated mat worker, high-level showman
14.	Jason Jordan	6'3'', 245 lbs	Athletic, fluid in ring, great look
15.	Scott Dawson	5'10'', 224 lbs	Excellent mat worker, but lacking elsewhere
16.	CJ Parker	6'3'', 220 lbs	Solid in all departments, not great in any
17.	Mojo Rawley	6'4'', 290 lbs	Failing to improve and make use of great athletic potential
18.	Marcus Louis	6'2'', 245 lbs	Powerful, aggressive, solid showman
19.	Tye Dillinger	6'3'', 223 lbs	Solid all-around wrestler, lacking in "it' factor
20.	Dash Wilder	5'10'', 222 lbs	Good mat worker, doesn't stand out from crowd

Hideo Itami Still In Transition

Itami battled Viktor on Thursday's NXT. There wasn't the kind of electricity that fans of his days at Pro Wrestling Noah are used to. It was a bout that always seemed on the verge of shifting into a higher gear but never quite did.

The strikes his offense is built around didn't have enough snap to them. WWE is not going to allow him to coldcock his foes like he did in Japan, but he can put more behind his forearms than he did against Viktor.

It's clear that Itami is still adjusting to the WWE style. Having to do his promos in English is a whole other type of transition he's going to have to go through. Both the company and fans are going to have be patient with him.

There were flashes of the greatness Itami possesses in this match, but he doesn't look quite ready for the main roster. While he's refining his game, Tyler Breeze moves up past him.

That's not likely to be the case for long. Itami is too good not to find his swing.

Simon Gotch Embracing the Dark Side

Even with minimal time in the ring, Gotch improved his stock this week more than any of his peers.

He did so by showing versatility. Even as a heel, he's played the same goofy, cartoon-like character. On Thursday's NXT, going up against Amore and Big Cass, he displayed an edge as yet unseen.

Gotch glared at his foes, sneered in disgust at them and had an imposing aura around him.

He has increasingly forced the audience to pay more attention to him than his tag team partner. Aiden English is bigger and a touch better than him in the ring, but Gotch keeps showing off an advantage in the magnetism department.

The strongman has begun to inch up the rankings and move away from the middle of the pack.  

Sami Zayn's Weak Spot

Even though his match against Titus O'Neil won't make Zayn's greatest hits collection, WWE knows that he is its most dependable NXT star for great bouts.

The rice-paper-thin gap between him and Neville got a little narrower, though, thanks to Zayn's uninspired promo before this clash. Neville is no mic marvel himself, but Zayn hasn't improved in that area of late.

His Daniel Bryan-like, aw-shucks approach can work, but he needs to turn up the energy a bit.

Dolph Ziggler is a prime example of how every speech is dripping with passion and heart. Zayn has shown flashes of that. However, he's not consistent there.

He doesn't need to morph into a 1980s Ric Flair. A little progress on the mic will go a long way.

The Divas

Rank	Wrestler	Height	Notes
1.	Sasha Banks	5'5''	Most polished NXT Diva, impressive showmanship
2.	Charlotte	5'10''	Natural magnetism, great in-ring storyteller, consistently improving
3.	Bayley	5'6''	Charismatic, works her gimmick effectively, above-average in the ring
4.	Becky Lynch	5'6''	Experienced, athletic mat worker, finding her groove with her gimmick
5.	Alexa Bliss	5'1''	Energetic, bright personality, athletic but green

Becky Lynch is Closing in

Charlotte and Banks have entrenched themselves as NXT's best female wrestlers. 

Every week, Lynch makes a case to be included in that group. Thursday's NXT was no different. 

She's found a way to better funnel energy that was all over the place early in her NXT tenure. The result is eye-catching action in the ring.

Everything from a simple arm drag to bridging out of Bank's grip had a spark to it. She added a European uppercut that would make Cesaro proud.

Bayley, Charlotte and Banks all have more established gimmicks, but Lynch is getting more comfortable with hers. WWE didn't seem sure how to present her at first, but she's now coming off as a high-energy daredevil with an attitude. She's becoming what WWE has tried to create with Justin Gabriel. 

The more that persona comes to life, the sooner Lynch will overtake her peers.