WWE NXT Big Board: Updated Prospect Rankings and Analysis for February 20

Fans only saw flashes of WWE NXT's prospects in the first show to air following the latest TakeOver special.

If you blinked too long, you missed several wrestlers trying to work their way up the NXT hierarchy. Elias Samson lasted only seconds against the returning Rhyno, and The Vaudevillains were only briefly in a battle with Colin Cassady and Enzo Amore. In addition, Solomon Crowe's debut was but a burst of intensity.   

Wednesday night did, however, provide ample time for Kevin Owens and Adrian Neville to solidify their positions as two of NXT's best.

The prospect rankings did not shift at the top. Change occurred in the middle thanks to Crowe's insertion in the NXT landscape and Amore's continuing failure to be nowhere near as good at fighting as he is at trash-talking.

Taking into account size, look, charisma, gimmick, ring work and mic skills, the following is a look at who at Full Sail University is most prepared to make a successful jump to the main roster and who would be most valuable as an asset there.

The Superstars

Rank	Wrestler	Height/Weight	Notes
1.	Sami Zayn	6'1'', 205 lbs	Superb at in-ring storytelling, growing as talker, consistently delivers great matches.
2.	Kevin Owens	6'0", 266 lbs	NXT's top mic worker, excellent brawler, great presence, is a convincing heel.
3.	Adrian Neville	5'10'', 194 lbs	Top-tier high-flyer, excelling at use of facial expression, average-but-improving on the mic.
4.	Finn Balor	5'11'', 179 lbs	Superb at in-ring storytelling, growing as talker, consistently delivers great matches.
5.	Hideo Itami	5'9'', 182 lbs	Getting closer to his level of performance from Japan, great striker, improving English-language skills.
6.	Tyler Breeze	6'0'', 190 lbs	Athletic, works gimmick extremely well, move set is expanding.
7.	Baron Corbin	6'8'', 275 lbs	Raw-but-improving in the ring, great presence, excellent look and size.
8.	Bull Dempsey	6'10'', 276 lbs	Aggressive, good in-ring psychology, one of NXT's best talkers.
9.	Colin Cassady	6'10'', 276 lbs	Great size, charismatic, good connection with crowd, one-dimensional in the ring.
10.	Kalisto	5'6'', 170 lbs	Fantastic speed and agility, size is an issue, exciting in the ring, no standout match to date.
11.	Simon Gotch	6'1'', 221 lbs	Works gimmick well, high-level showmanship, good use of facial expressions, has yet to have standout match.
12.	Enzo Amore	5'11'', 200 lbs	Fantastic presence, funny, charismatic, unimpressive in the ring, will make better manager.
13.	Buddy Murphy	5'11'', 227 lbs	Powerful, explosive, good build, below-average on the mic.
14.	Aiden English	6'3'', 215 lbs	Charismatic, works gimmick well, acting background aids him, average in the ring.
15.	Jason Jordan	6'3'', 245 lbs	Athletic, marketable look, smooth in ring, solid technical wrestler.
16.	Solomon Crowe	5'10'', 207 lbs	Well-rounded in the ring, good presence on the mic, experienced, will be a challenge to fit into WWE landscape.
17.	Scott Dawson	5'10'', 224 lbs	Excellent mat worker, fits better as part of tag team, lacks "it" factor.
18.	CJ Parker	6'3'', 220 lbs	Showing more potential on the mic, solid in the ring, works gimmick well.
19.	Chad Gable	5'8'', 185 lbs	High-level technical wrestler, unproven on mic, size is an issue.
20.	Tye Dillinger	6'3'', 223 lbs	Below-average athlete, good seller, adept at in-ring psychology, lacking gimmick/persona.

Superstars just outside the top 20: Mojo Rawley, Wesley Blake, Marcus Louis 

The Crowe Lands

Stomping and sneering as soon as he arrived, Crowe finally made his first appearance on NXT TV.

His attack on CJ Parker didn't allow fans to see much of what he's capable of, though. What we did see was a frenetic energy and an odd leather-heavy look. He also showed off a glimpse of the presence that made him a success on the independent circuit.

He will be among the most intriguing prospects going forward.

His size and atypical appearance make him an odd fit, but when he was prowling the indies as Sami Callihan, he thrived. In the ring, he was a buzz saw, a captivating performer who could work a variety of match types. On the mic, he was often haunting.  

How much of that translates to who he is at NXT is unclear. Owens and Finn Balor kept much of their previous personae. Should NXT allow Crowe to do the same, he will make steady progress toward those two men.

A Beast on the Mic as Well

Owens continues to make officials look smart for elevating him to the top of NXT so quickly. The NXT champ put on an impressive performance, weathering Adrian Neville's fury and responding with attention-grabbing violence.

Before that, he addressed the crowd, cementing his status as NXT's best mic worker in the process.

The fans issued a variety of chants. It felt as if the audience was looking to take over the show rather than just enjoy it.

Many wrestlers would have let that derail them. Owens didn't let the distractions trip him up. Instead, he calmly let the waves of noise lower before injecting his thoughts. His timing and handling of the situation is not something most of his peers could pull off.  

When he ranted about why he hurt Sami Zayn last week, Owens was sinister, foreboding and convincing.

This skill is going to net him opportunities aplenty at the next stage of his career. The main roster is not flush with intimidating bruisers who can maximize their mic minutes like he has. 

A Flash of CJ Parker

Parker's brief protest was simply meant to set up Crowe's debut. It was yet another example of NXT officials using him as a stepping stone.

While the focus will be on the incoming Crowe, Parker did well to make folks take notice of him.

Credit: WWE.com

Angry and frustrated, he was the most compelling he has been to date. He has done well to find his voice with this character in the past, and in that moment he showed that he's not done improving.

NXT may not offer him much of a chance to be more than everyone else's doormat, but he's clearly working hard to improve his game.  

It will be a struggle to climb the rankings much, though. Superior athletes and more magnetic personalities crowd the spots above him.

The Divas

Rank	Wrestler	Height	Notes
1.	Sasha Banks	5'5''	Top female mat worker, excellent showmanship, gimmick will translate to the main roster.
2.	Charlotte	5'10''	Huge upside, great presence, athletic, excellent in the ring and will continue to get better.
3.	Bayley	5'6''	Great connection with crowd, maximizes gimmick, ring work needs refinement.
4.	Becky Lynch	5'6''	Athletic, high-level ring worker, showing more of the excellence she displayed pre-NXT, gimmick needs work.
5.	Carmella	5'5''	Impressive presence, charming, athletic, still raw in the ring.
6.	Alexa Bliss	5'1''	Continues to improve in the ring, athletic, fun energy, marketable look.

More Excellence from The Boss

While the crowd was having fun chanting for frequent guest Blue Pants, Sasha Banks was putting on another clinic.

She continues to hold tight to her spot atop the NXT Divas division. Charlotte has her beat in "it" factor, but overall, Banks is the best prospect. Having the title likely means she will be sticking around Full Sail University longer, but she's more than ready to make an impact on the main roster.

Credit: WWE.com

On Wednesday's NXT, she showed off excellent striking and her now-trademark viciousness. Everything from her smashing her shoulder into Blue Pants' ribs to the convincing look of disdain she had for her opponent was impressive.

When she and Charlotte are both members of WWE proper, the company will have two centerpieces to build around.