It's an exciting time for the WWE as it prepares to shakeup its roster for the upcoming brand split.
Stephanie McMahon or Shane McMahon will have control of "RAW," while the other sibling will reign over "SmackDown." A draft will occur to determine which Superstars and titles will be on each brand.
There will finally be an emphasis on "SmackDown" as the WWE will start airing it live every Tuesday starting on July 19. With such a bold move, the WWE needs a huge face atop the roster to generate buzz and ratings.
Here are five potential Superstars to carry "SmackDown" as its No. 1 draft pick. To view our mock draft, click here. To view this article in slideshow form (except on mobile), CLICK START at the top right of this page.
5) Roman Reigns
He's not the most popular pick, but the WWE may be prepared to stagger the Leader of the Roman Empire and John Cena as the faces of their respective new brands. While perhaps Reigns should be on both brands due to being the WWE World Heavyweight Champion, the WWE is more likely to create a second title and have Reigns loyal to one brand. Reigns could very well thrive on "SmackDown" as the No. 1 guy, while "RAW" loyalists won't have to watch him anymore.
4) Finn Balor
The former NXT Champion's debut on the main roster is highly-anticipated and while it can be argued he may not quite be ready to carry a brand, if the WWE wants to make "SmackDown" the show that boasts new stars, this wouldn't be a bad way to start. Balor curiously lost his belt to Samoa Joe on a house show, and though they have a rematch at NXT Takeover: The End, the name of that event could prove prophetic as Balor may move on to the main roster after his Steel Cage match.
3) John Cena
The 15-time WWE World Heavyweight Champion is due to return to "RAW" this Monday on Memorial Day, but it's possible his run on the flagship show is short-lived. The WWE is clearly in love with Reigns, but having Cena on the same show as the former Shield member is counterproductive as the "Cenation" leader will steal his thunder and the WWE Universe may go nuts if both guys are getting shoved down their throats. Putting Cena on "SmackDown" automatically attracts the young audience to help the move to Tuesday nights get off to a strong start.
2) AJ Styles
Though "The Phenomenal One" has lost back-to-back matches to Reigns and fell to Kevin Owens in a Money in the Bank qualifying match on "RAW" this week, the WWE reportedly still has big plans for him. There's no doubt that Styles has legions of followers, and those fans of his would very well get behind him being pushed as the top guy on "SmackDown." Styles already showed what he could do in his two tremendous main event clashes with Reigns, so he clearly has what it takes to hang in the big time.
1) Seth Rollins
"The Architect" was sorely missed after going down with a knee injury in November, and if he doesn't prove to be the savior from the Roman Empire, he could at the very least save "SmackDown." During his run to the top and as champion, Rollins put on some of the best matches of the year. He has proven time and time again that he has chemistry with just about anyone and could put on a strong match at will. Giving Rollins the stage to thrive on "SmackDown" would be a great way to reestablish him as the top heel in the company.
