WWE reveals draft rules, list of celebrities set to appear

Ahead of it kicking off tomorrow, WWE has revealed the rules for this year’s draft:

  • Over 70 Superstars, as well as tag teams, are eligible for selection in this year’s WWE Draft
  • SmackDown will draft 30 Superstars, and Raw will select another 41 Superstars
  • Since SmackDown is a two-hour show and Raw is a three-hour show, for every two picks SmackDown makes, Raw will receive three
  • Tag teams will count as one pick unless FOX or USA Network specifically wants to pick only one Superstar from the team
  • Any undrafted Superstars will immediately be declared free agents and able to sign with the brand of their choosing

The draft will begin on tomorrow’s SmackDown at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. It will then conclude with night two taking place on Monday’s Raw at the Pepsi Center in Denver,  Colorado.

Tomorrow’s SmackDown will open with Seth Rollins vs. Roman Reigns. Rollins is representing Raw in the match, while Reigns is representing SmackDown. The stipulation is that — if Rollins wins — Raw will get the first overall pick. SmackDown will get the first pick if Reigns wins.

When the draft was first announced, it was noted that personalities from FOX and NBCUniversal would be appearing across the two nights. WWE has revealed that the following list of celebrities will be making appearances:

  • Alex Rodriguez — FOX MLB analyst
  • Michael Che & Colin Jost of “Saturday Night Live”
  • Christian Slater of “Mr. Robot”
  • Joe Buck & Troy Aikman — NFL on FOX commentators
  • Jim Cramer of “Mad Money”
  • Kevin Burkhardt & Frank Thomas — FOX MLB analysts
  • Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, Jimmy Johnson & Tony Gonzalez — FOX NFL Sunday
  • Ronde Barber, Charles Davis, Chris Spielman & Daryl Johnston — FOX NFL analysts
  • Charissa Thompson, Michael Vick & Peter Schrager — FOX NFL Kickoff
  • Rob Stone, Brady Quinn, Reggie Bush, Matt Leinart & Urban Meyer — Big Noon Kickoff
  • Joel Klatt — FOX College Football analyst
  • Dule Hill of USA’s “Psych” and “Suits”
  • James Roday of “Psych”
  • Marcus Lemonis of “The Profit”
  • Margaret Josephs & Melissa Gorga of “Real Housewives of New Jersey”
  • Rodney Harrison & Chris Simms — Football Night in America
  • Rebecca Lowe, Robbie Mustoe & Kyle Martino — Premier League Live

Post Wrestling’s John Pollock reported on the role the celebrities will play: “The celebrities will be doing spots but not actually making the picks, they are said to be spots discussing strategy/analysis. Stephanie McMahon will be in the role of announcing all the picks like a league commissioner would.”

Che and Jost were involved in a storyline with Braun Strowman earlier this year, with it leading to them being entrants in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal on the WrestleMania 35 pre-show. Strowman won the match by last eliminating Che and Jost.

WWE is hyping that “For the first time, executives from FOX and USA Network have direct influence over the WWE Draft as it will determine the Superstars competing for either Raw or SmackDown.”