WWE NXT: Updated Prospect Rankings, Analysis, Predictions for Week of April 14

While Shinsuke Nakamura's TV debut unsurprisingly created the most buzz, Wednesday's WWE NXT episode was also a showcase of raw potential. 

Liv Morgan looked as if she has the skills to rise up the ranks. Tucker Knight made a solid impression in a short matchup. And on the flip side, Angelo Dawkins looks more and more like he's already hit his ceiling.

Nakamura headlined an edition of NXT that allowed some of the roster's lesser-known names to make their marks.

The following is a look at where Morgan, Knight and others now sit in the NXT prospect rankings. Charisma, size, gimmick, mic work and ring skills are all a part of the equation that decides the order of the list of top NXT wrestlers.

Note that both Simon Gotch and Aiden English are no longer considered for the list. They have now competed twice on SmackDown and were announced on Monday's Raw as part of the No. 1 Contender tag team tournament, clear signs that their stay on the main roster is not a temporary one.

Male Wrestlers

Rank	Wrestler	Height/Weight	Notes
1.	Shinsuke Nakamura	6'2'', 229 lbs	Great theatrics, unique, elite charisma, top-notch in-ring performer.
2.	Samoa Joe	6'2'', 279 lbs	Compelling intensity, hard-hitting ring style, powerful mic work.
3.	Finn Balor	5'11'', 190 lbs	Excellent athlete, fine on the mic, marketable look/character, highly dependable in the ring.
4.	Chad Gable	5'8'', 187 lbs	Great connection with crowd, high-energy offense, strong mat work.
5.	Hideo Itami	5'9'', 182 lbs	Excellent ring work, highly athletic, mic skills are current weakness.
6.	Scott Dawson	5'10'', 224 lbs	Continues to excel on big stages, superb tag team psychology, average talker.
7.	Jason Jordan	6'8'', 285 lbs	Hugely over with NXT crowd, huge athletic potential, less presence than Gable.
8.	Austin Aries	5'9'', 202 lbs	Not coming off as larger than life, agile, smooth ring work, strong talker.
9.	Rich Swann	5'6'', 165 lbs	Out-of-this-world athlete, great energy, size could prove an issue.
10.	Johnny Gargano	5'10'', 190 lbs	Good athlete, fun offense, unproven on the mic.
11.	Christopher Girard	6'1'', 199 lbs	Good striker, aggressive, dependable ring work.
12.	Alex Riley	6'3'', 236 lbs	Strong on promos, very intense, not special in the ring.
13.	Tye Dillinger	6'3'', 223 lbs	May be limited to comedy role, good energy, works gimmick well.
14.	Dash Wilder	5'10'', 222 lbs	Best suited in tag team role, solid bruiser, underwhelming on the mic.
15.	Tommaso Ciampa	5'11'', 210 lbs	Good aggression, not a convincing heel, solid in the ring.
16.	Murphy	5'11'', 227 lbs	Growing more intense, good athlete, minimal presence.
17.	Sawyer Fulton	6'8'', 285 lbs	Impressive size, limited in the ring, will need right gimmick to succeed.
18.	Blake	6'1'', 240 lbs	Underwhelming charisma, serviceable in the ring, overshadowed by Alexa Bliss.
19.	Mojo Rawley	6'4'', 290 lbs	Big-time athletic potential, has yet to progress in the ring, one-note character.
20.	Elias Samson	6'0'', 217 lbs	Struggling to connect with fans, underwhelming in the ring, solid striking.

Prospects just outside the top 20: Riddick Moss, Steve Cutler, Tucker Knight

Another Look at Tucker Knight

The powerhouse with a passing resemblance to Bull Dempsey has begun to appear on TV more. His latest go-round was a brief clash with Baron Corbin.

This was clearly designed as a way to continue portraying Corbin as a force of nature, but we did get some glimpses of what Knight can do.

Credit: WWE.com

He sold well at points, helping to make Corbin's strikes look like they were stunning him. On offense, he was less impressive. It catches one's eye that a big guy like him is able to do a dropkick, but there was little snap to that move and most others.

Nothing he did while on the attack was worthy of sliding forward in one's seat.

His best moment of the night came when he tightened his fists and roared at the ceiling. That kind of intensity will be key moving forward. The more we see of the animal he flashed in that moment, the better.

Angelo Dawkins is Still Ineffective

Usually, Dawkins doesn't get his own entrance and is dispatched in mere moments. On Wednesday night against Austin Aries, though, both those things changed. 

But even with added spotlight and ring time, Dawkins couldn't make much of a mark.

He is now blending a number of gestures borrowed from the sports world, including LeBron James' chalk toss and James Harden's cooking motion. The amalgam of taunts feels hollow, all imitations of things other men do.

Dawkins' trouble has stood out for a while. He isn't charismatic or skilled enough in the ring to avoid being overshadowed.

PWTorch's Greg Parks shared an experience that speaks to Dawkins' lack of connection with the crowd:

That will continue unless Dawkins can find a gimmick that helps set him apart. He'll need to lean on a revamped act, much like Tyler Breeze did when he morphed from Mike Dalton to male model.

Shinsuke Nakamura's NXT TV Debut

Tye Dillinger matches aren't normally as entertaining as the one on Wednesday's NXT. The Perfect 10 gets some credit for making the bout fun, but Nakamura turned this semi-comedy match into something more thrilling than it should have been.

Everything from Nakamura's entrance to his interactions with the crowd screams "rock star." Against Dillinger, he beautifully blended the showmanship and hard strikes that he has for years.

While this was certainly no classic, the fact that he can make such an everyday contest feel this electric is a great sign. WWE can confidently plug him into the card against just about anyone and expect something memorable in result.

Nakamura has certainly attracted the attention of former WWE and WCW writer Vince Russo. Russo wrote of Nakamura on his blog, "He oozed charisma, it dripped off his body like a warm sweat. Everything about him was different, or more importantly 'unique.'"

That's coming from a man who is often dismissive of new stars. But Nakamura has the skills to win most folks over, Russo included.

Female Wrestlers

Rank	Wrestler	Height	Notes
1.	Asuka	5'3''	Compelling in-ring performer, high-level presence, theatrical.
2.	Bayley	5'6''	Excellent seller, strong storyteller, marketable babyface, not an elite in-ring worker.
3.	Alexa Bliss	5'1''	Strong presence, excellent as a heel, compelling viciousness.
4.	Carmella	5'5''	Charismatic, good energy, still a work-in-progress in the ring.
5.	Nia Jax	6'0''	Not as intimidating as she should be, seems unsure at times, ferocious at times, lots of potential.
6.	Dana Brooke	5'3''	Biggest issue remains overacting, heavy-handed showmanship, not natural-looking in the ring, very athletic.
7.	Liv Morgan	5'4''	Showing lots of potential, good energy, strong showmanship.
8.	Peyton Royce	5'7''	Improving presence, better sense of character, good aggression.
9.	Eva Marie	5'8''	Miles away in the ring, unnatural, star look.
10.	Billie Kay	5'8''	Good power, intensity needs work, OK presence.

Alexa Bliss' Heel Artistry Continues  

The current narrative surrounding Bliss is that she is dominating incoming guests. On Wednesday's NXT, she added Tessa Blanchard to her list of victims.

There were a variety of things that popped out here.

For one, Bliss' disgust for fans as she walked to the ring was perfect. Her nasty nature once the action began was noteworthy, too. Whether she was screeching with a handful of hair in hand or just cracking a forearm against Blanchard's face, Bliss looked every bit like a top villain.

She could stand to tighten her headlock, but WWE officials have to be happy that she was able to play ring general here. Bliss led the dance here with an inexperienced wrestler, a strong sign of her progress so far.

WWE really needs to get her some top-flight competition. She could be flourishing in a feud against someone further along in her career than Blanchard.

Liv Morgan Showing Promise

Suddenly, Morgan is making sure people are talking about her.

She hasn't competed much on TV, but each time she does, it's hard not to be optimistic about what's ahead. The Daily DDT took notice of her potential:

Morgan bounces around the ring with ease. She's agile and intense and seemingly growing more confident. In the ring with Bayley, she held her own overall.

Early on, she's looking like the kind of promising star Bliss did in her rookie year. Morgan has a way to go, but she's clearly taking to the craft.

Predictions

Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa will remain stepping stones for the top NXT teams. They won't make it to the main roster. 

Credit: WWE.com

Their match against The Vaudevillains was fine, but the crowd was decidedly quiet.

That could have been a one-night situation, but Gargano and Ciampa haven't caught the NXT audience's attention nearly as much as acts like The Realest Guys in the Room. They don't have the "it" factor to progress much further than where they are now.

After their NXT tag title reign is over, American Alpha will have a strong run on the main roster.

Chad Gable's size will make it harder for him to succeed on his own, but with Jason Jordan at his side, expect them to be called up in 2017. Their crowd connection is too strong to ignore.