WWE announced 15 new recruits as part of its second Next In Line class.
WWE previously announced plans to announce the second class of NIL recruits at the inaugural NIL Summit on June 13. The NIL Summit will include participation from WWE, Meta, Wasserman and Invesco QQQ.
From WWE:
STAMFORD, Conn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– WWE (NYSE: WWE) today unveiled 15 college athletes who will join the company’s NIL (Name, Image & Likeness) program – “Next In Line™” – that provides a clear pathway from collegiate athletics to WWE.
The second “Next In Line” class includes athletes from 14 universities, seven NCAA conferences and seven sports, including the program’s first athletes from cheer & dance, gymnastics, volleyball, men’s basketball and representation from an HBCU program.
The following 15 athletes will be unveiled later this evening at the inaugural NIL Summit at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta:
Name
School
Sport
Height/Weight
Hometown
Ali Mattox
Ole Miss
Cheer & Dance
5’ 7”
Little Rock, Ark.
Case Hatch
Arizona State
Football
6’ 1”, 230 lbs.
Gilbert, Ariz.
Chandler Hayden
Tennessee
Track & Field
5’ 11”
Pittsfield, Ill.
Cohlton Schultz
Arizona State
Wrestling
6’ 2”, 285 lbs.
Parker, Colo.
Derrian Gobourne
Auburn
Gymnastics
5’ 4”
Sarasota, Fla.
Ericka Link
Elon
Volleyball
5’ 6”
Hedgesville, W.Va.
Keshaun Moore
Hampton
Football
6’ 3”, 270 lbs.
Suffolk, Va.
Luke Ford
Illinois
Football
6’ 6”, 260 lbs.
Carterville, Ill.
Maliq Carr
Michigan State
Football/Basketball
6’ 5”, 245 lbs.
Inkster, Mich.
Mikala Hall
Central Michigan
Basketball
5’ 5”
Danville, Ill.
Rachel Glenn
South Carolina
Track & Field
6’ 0”
Long Beach, Calif.
Ruben Banks
Arkansas
Track & Field
6’ 4”, 270 lbs.
Binfield, England
Thunder Keck
Stanford
Football
6’ 3”, 245 lbs.
Northfield, N.H.
Tyanna Omazic
Miami
Volleyball
6’ 2”
Kansas City, Mo.
Zachary Knighton-Ward
Hofstra
Wrestling
6’ 2”, 285 lbs.
Rosedale, N.Y.
WWE’s comprehensive NIL program launched in December and serves to recruit and develop potential future Superstars, and further enhances WWE’s talent development process through collaborative partnerships with college athletes from diverse athletic backgrounds. “Next In Line” has signed 31 full-time college athletes since its inception and currently has 25 active athletes following the graduation of six inaugural members from the program.
All athlete partnerships will feature access to the state-of-the-art WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Fla., in addition to resources across the organization including brand building, media training, communications, live event promotion, creative writing and community relations. Upon completion of the NIL program, select athletes may earn an exclusive opportunity to be offered a WWE contract. All six athletes who graduated from the first class have either signed or are in discussion to join WWE on a full-time basis.
Four of the 16 initial members of WWE’s “Next In Line” program are nominated for awards at the NIL Summit including Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson (University of Minnesota) for Male Athlete of the Year, Haley & Hanna Cavinder (University of Miami) for Female Athlete of the Year and Jon Seaton (Elon University) for the Hustle Award. Additionally, WWE is a finalist for Brand of the Year.
For more information about the inaugural NIL Summit, held June 13-15 at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, visit nilsummit.com. Learn more about the “Next In Line” program at wwerecruit.com.
Read More: WWE Signee Gable Steveson Exploring Return To College Wrestling
