WWE NXT Big Board: Updated Prospect Rankings and Analysis for December 19

With WWE fans still aglow after NXT Takeover: R Evolution, Kevin Owens and Adrian Neville gave them more reasons to be psyched for the future.

An edition of NXT short on matches saw those two top prospects prove just how far they are ahead of the pack. Below them, in-progress talents like Baron Corbin remain uncertainties. One can project big things for them, but it takes no clairvoyance to see that Owens and Neville are destined for superstardom.

Over in the Divas division, Becky Lynch and Bayley both impressed in a match against each other. They strive to make the same upward movement as the guys chasing Sami Zayn, Owens and Neville are trying to pull off.

The following is a look at where all those prospects currently stand. The top names are the most ready to step onto the main roster and most likely to thrive there.

Rankings are based on a combination of ring skills, mic work, size, charisma, gimmick and look. Only prospects who have debuted on NXT TV are considered.

The Superstars

Rank	Wrestler	Height/Weight	Notes
1.	Sami Zayn	6'1'', 205 lbs	Best all-around prospect, great connection with crowd, stellar athlete.
2.	Adrian Neville	5'10'', 194 lbs	Great high-flyer, produces great matches, good build, continues to improve on the mic
3.	Kevin Owens	6'0, 266 lbs	Compelling brawler, unconventional look, top-tier talker, consistently delivers in the ring.
4.	Finn Balor	5'11'', 179 lbs	Tremendous athlete, good look, huge upside, serviceable on the mic.
5.	Tyler Breeze	6'0'', 190 lbs	Agile, quick, charismatic, good on the mic, maximizing gimmick.
6.	Hideo Itami	5'9'', 182 lbs	Quick, athletic, experienced ring worker, English-language skills improving.
7.	Bull Dempsey	6'2'', 300 lbs	Explosive, aggressive, good brawler, high-level mic worker.
8.	Colin Cassady	6'10'', 276 lbs	Great size, charismatic, one-dimensional in the ring.
9.	Kalisto	5'6'', 170 lbs	Top-tier high-flyer, incredibly agile and quick, size is an issue.
10.	Viktor	6'2'', 219 lbs	Excellent mat worker, above-average mic skills, good presence.
11.	Enzo Amore	5'11'', 200 lbs	Poor in the ring, elite on the mic, extremely charismatic and funny, better suited as a manager.
12.	Konnor	6'4'', 265 lbs	Powerful big man, good showmanship and intensity, limited on the mic.
13.	Baron Corbin	6'8'', 275 lbs	Great size and look, rare presence, raw and unproven in the ring.
14.	Simon Gotch	6'1'', 221 lbs	Works gimmick well, charismatic, exhibits high-level showmanship, has yet to have standout match.
15.	Aiden English	6'3'', 215 lbs	Solid but not spectacular in the ring, charismatic, acting background aids him.
16.	Buddy Murphy	5'11'', 227 lbs	Explosive, surprisingly athletic, powerful, has marketable look.
17.	Jason Jordan	6'3'', 245 lbs	Athletic, marketable look, dependable mat wrestler
18.	Scott Dawson	5'10'', 224 lbs	Excellent brawler and ring worker, lacks star power compared to NXT's best.
19.	CJ Parker	6'3'', 220 lbs	Solid and dependable in the ring, good-not-great talker, works gimmick well.
20.	Dash Wilder	5'10'', 222 lbs	Good footwork, smooth in the ring, hasn't shown much charisma yet.

Prospects just outside the top 20: Tye Dillinger, Wesley Blake, Mojo Rawley.

Neville's Progress

The questions about Neville's potential have always centered on his ability on the mic. Now it looks as if his time at NXT is paying, that he is mitigating his weakness. 

While he's not going to confuse anybody with Steve Austin, he's clearly getting better as a talker.

He opened the show addressing Owens' attack on Zayn. His speech resonated. He came off more naturally than he has in the past, looking more like he's speaking from the heart rather than reading off cue cards.

Credit: WWE.com

When he shouted "Shame on you!" at Owens, he convincingly exuded anger and pain.

Early in his NXT run, his mic work detracted from the story at hand. More recently, it has amplified it.

As fun as he is to watch in the ring, he doesn't need to be an elite mic worker. This kind of continued improvement, though, makes him a more valuable prospect.

Owens' Statement

In just his second NXT match, Owens showed fans why WWE is so high on him. His clash with Neville was a compelling display of viciousness.

He walked to the ring wearing a smug, evil smile. His presence radiated as he glared at his foe. Once the bell rang, Owens delivered crisp, convincing strikes. He showed off his explosiveness and agility, flipping onto Nevile in the corner and darting at him off the ropes like a panther.

He talked too much as he tore Neville apart, but few guys can be as mesmerizing as he was in such a one-sided match. Owens looked like a top-tier heel in there.

It's easy to imagine him transporting that performance to the main roster.

WWE is clearly seeing the same thing. The company shot him to the top of NXT. After attacking the NXT champ at the last live special, he main evented the next show, laying out former champ Neville with a post-match attack.

Other Notes

Tyler Breeze announced that he's taking some time off from NXT to model. He's still one of NXT's top talents, but his momentum has slowed of late. Following this hiatus, he needs a new rival to help him regain it.

Colin Cassady is clearly spending time in the gym. He has worked on his previously lanky frame, getting thicker and more toned.

A vignette aired on SmackDown and Raw promoting The Ascension's eventual move to the main roster. That's the absolute right move, but it's strange how much the company turned the volume up on on their gimmicks. They sport red war paint and more sci-fi-inspired getups.

Hopefully, WWE doesn't stray too far from what worked with that team at NXT. 

WWE.com is reporting that Zayn suffered cervical muscle strains when Owens attacked him and that "he is expected back within three-to-four weeks." That's a bigger share of the spotlight for Owens, Finn Balor, Corbin and others for a while.

Opportunity is also coming in the form of Curtis Axel. The former IC champ told William Regal that he wanted to revive his career by coming to NXT. He's a talented mat worker and will be a benchmark of sorts for whomever the company throws in the ring to face him.

The Divas

Rank	Wrestler	Height	Notes
1.	Sasha Banks	5'5''	Polished, thriving as a heel, top-level ring work.
2.	Charlotte	5'10''	Fantastic presence, natural magnetism, ring work needs fine-tuning.
3.	Bayley	5'6''	Charismatic, works her gimmick well, connects with the crowd, ring work could be crisper.
4.	Becky Lynch	5'6''	Experienced in the ring, solid charisma, athletic, not as much presence as top Divas.
5.	Alexa Bliss	5'1''	Improving in the ring, athletic, fun energy, marketable look.
6.	Carmella	5'5''	Good presence, athletic, a natural at showmanship, still raw in the ring.

Becky Lynch Getting More Comfortable with Her Character

After shifting personae seemingly every week, Lynch is getting a chance to settle down with one. In both her backstage interview with Devin Taylor and her grudge match against Bayley, she looked like she had a better understanding of her character.

The heel role is suiting her more, too. She's not approaching it in an over-the-top way anymore. Instead, she just sounds like a determined woman with little regard for who she steps on en route to success.

Once the action started, she reminded us that she's one of NXT's better technical wrestlers. Her counters and transitions from moves were smooth. Her new finisher (a Four-Leg Clover, as she calls it) looks mighty good as well.

A More Aggressive Side of Bayley

Bayley can brawl. Angered by Lynch's attack on her last week, the popular Diva came out swinging in their match.

She looked good in a more punch-heavy contest. Beyond the quality of the strikes, she managed to harness an impressive amount of emotion from the moment.

Her pained face made it easy to feel for her. She's spectacular at that part of the game.

Bayley's ring work still has its kinks, though. There were moments where she moved too hesitantly; Lynch seemingly had to wait to grab her at times. Tightening up the transition from one move to the next should be her priority moving forward. She needs to speed things up a touch and smooth out her offense as a whole.

That kind of fine-tuning comes with experience and coaching. As for the high level at which she connects with the crowd emotionally, in the words of Enzo Amore, you can't teach that.