WWE NXT Big Board: Updated Prospect Rankings and Analysis for Oct. 17

Thursday's WWE NXT was a reminder of the power of presence. Mojo Rawley's continued tailspin is due to a lack of it, while Carmella used it to begin her career with great momentum.

Better athletes and grapplers are being passed by in favor of those who simply draw in the crowd more effectively.

Prospects slid past Rawley on the rankings. Carmella, on the other hand, quickly landed a spot on the list of the top 5 Divas. Sami Zayn's magnetism was on display in a victory over Tyson Kidd, while Baron Corbin continues to wield "it" factor aplenty.

Prospects are ordered in the following rankings based on in-ring skills, mic work, charisma, size and look. The lists are calculations of who is most ready to move up and thrive on the main roster. They only include NXT wrestlers who have made their on-screen debut, so no Kevin Steen just yet.

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, hitting ceiling in terms of mic skills
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, thriving even in Enzo Amore's shadow
6.	Kalisto	5'6'', 170 lbs	A marvel to watch in the ring, fast, agile
7.	Bull Dempsey	6'2'', 300 lbs	Skilled brawler, good showman, impressive on the mic
8.	Viktor	6'2'', 219 lbs	Excellent mat worker, works gimmick well, better-than-average on mic
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.	Baron Corbin	6'8'', 275 lbs	Big, explosive, raw in the ring, but has great presence
12.	Aiden English	6'3'', 215 lbs	Charismatic, fun gimmick, solid wrestler
13.	Simon Gotch	6'1'', 221 lbs	Underrated mat worker, high-level showman
14.	Jason Jordan	6'3'', 245 lbs	Athletic, fluid in ring, should flourish with Chad Gable as tag partner
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.	Buddy Murphy	5'11'', 227 lbs	Powerful, toned look, more magnetism than his tag partner
18.	Tye Dillinger	6'3'', 223 lbs	Solid all-around wrestler, lacking in "it' factor
19.	Mojo Rawley	6'4'', 290 lbs	Lots of athletic potential, not improving in the ring, limited range on the mic
20.	Marcus Louis	6'2'', 245 lbs	Powerful, aggressive, becoming too cartoony

Buddy Murphy: The Arrival of a Hoss

Murphy moves into the top 20 with a show of power and a lot more ring time than he's used to.

When he and Wesley Blake teamed up against The Lucha Dragons, many fans probably wondered who he was. The burly Australian has mostly been used as a faceless foe for more high-profile prospects.

On Thursday, he got a chance to show off more of his ring skills. Murphy made sure we took notice.

The highlight of the bout came courtesy of Murphy catching Sin Cara in mid-air and hitting a vertical suplex while running. 

Beyond that move, with a few more moments in the spotlight Murphy showed some spark. In a sea of prospects, the powerhouse stood out. The crowd was clearly behind him.

Those intangibles alone give him a chance at success. His chiseled physique will aid him as well.

He'll just have to find a better moniker for his tag team; "Team Thick" invites too many jokes.

Marcus Louis: Cartoon Frenchman 

Louis may soon change his fortunes now that he's apparently no longer part of The Legionnaires. Fed up with how his alliance with Sylvester Lefort has gone, the bruiser attacked his own partner on Thursday's NXT.

During that act of rage, Louis turned up the facial-expression dial too much.

He didn't look like he was seething so much as auditioning for a part in an anime. This is a trend we've seen with him lately: When Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady removed his hair at NXT Takeover: Fatal 4-Way, he went into histrionic convulsions.

It's hard to tell how much of this is the direction officials are telling him to go or if he's just overdoing the showmanship. With Lefort no longer his ally, he'll likely move away from this silly storyline involving his baldness.

That's going to give him a chance to show off how intimidating and vicious he can be. For now, though, he's mired in a gimmick that doesn't suit him.

Mojo Rawley Seems Lost 

With his right arm in a sling, Rawley addressed both Tyler Breeze and the fans. He spoke of being out of action for a while and promised to come back stronger.

The promo was disappointing. It felt like a poor man's version of John Cena's many speeches. It lacked electricity and oomph. 

Rawley has struggled to display any kind of acting range. If he's not playing hyped and happy, he has a difficult time. That showed here, with his anger not feeling genuine enough.

Being off NXT to recover from his injury is going to hurt a prospect who has been trending downward for months. Once Finn Balor and Kevin Steen debut and guys like Dash Wilder get more chances to impress, Rawley is likely going to fall out of the top 20 altogether.

Hopefully his time away will afford him a chance to work on his gimmick and sharpen his mic skills.

The Divas

Rank	Wrestler	Height	Notes
1.	Sasha Banks	5'5''	Most polished NXT Diva, high-level ring worker, impressive showmanship
2.	Charlotte	5'10''	Natural magnetism, great presence in the ring
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.	Carmella	5'5''	Good presence, fun energy, raw-but-athletic in the ring

Carmella's Arrival

Alexa Bliss is going to have to earn her way back into the top 5; Carmella is a ball of fire who made a big impression right away.

Amore and Cassady's pal took on an unknown wrestler referred to as "Ol' Blue Pants." In that bout, Carmella showed that she clearly has a way to go to catch Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks in the wrestling department. 

There were a few moments of awkwardness, and she'll have to be crisper in the ring. She did, however, exude charisma.

Her sassy, sexy aura is what WWE has looked for in Divas over the last few years. Her interactions with Amore and Big Cass had sizzle.

Throw in an eye-catching leg-scissors finishing hold, and The Princess of Staten Island is certain to make an impact at Full Sail University as she progresses.