Grayson Waller compares his experience in the 2023 WWE Draft to the beginning of Tom Brady's NFL career.
Waller was one of the top stars on NXT throughout the NXT 2.0 era; near the end of his time on the brand, he rose to the main-event scene and feuded with NXT Champion Bron Breakker. During the 2023 WWE Draft, Waller was picked by WWE SmackDown, but his selection didn't come until Raw Talk on the second night of the draft.
Speaking with Fox Sports, Waller reflected on the draft and recalled feeling frustrated when multiple NXT stars were picked ahead of him. He noted that he thought of legendary NFL quarterback Tom Brady, who had a similar experience in the draft; the sixth-round pick watched as six quarterbacks were taken ahead of him, and Brady went on to have an unmatched career.
“I’m not gonna lie, it was tough. You know, I sat there on the Friday night for you know, four or five hours or however long it was. I saw name after name and Grayson Waller’s name wasn’t picked. Not everyone was there. Not everyone was there. I got asked to be there. So I expected to be drafted. When I wasn’t, I was frustrated. And I had to sit that whole weekend and think about how low I felt. Then I turn up that Monday and the same thing happens. I watched the entire episode of Raw and I’m hearing these names picked - and there’s some really talented people in NXT who got drafted, but I’m Grayson Waller. I’m the number one person here. My name should be drafted on television. So I was frustrated, and I really thought that I was gonna sit there for two nights and not get picked - and I thought about Tom Brady, and I thought about that, if you watch the documentary, The Brady Six about the six quarterbacks that got picked before Tom - and I know every single person drafted before me. I know every NXT person that was drafted before me," Waller said.
Waller continued by noting that he took exception to his spot in the draft, as his pick came on Raw Talk, not a main WWE TV show. He stated that he operates best when he has a big chip on his shoulder
“When my name was called last, I wasn’t elated. I wasn’t happy. I wasn’t crying like everyone else. They’re all just happy to get drafted. That’s their goal achieved, they’re done now. This is just the beginning. I took umbrage with the fact that I was picked last. I took umbrage to the fact that it wasn’t on television. I don’t think that’s the wrong thing, I think for me, that’s when I operate at my best - and I think when you saw when I talked afterwards, that was who I am, I was being real, I hold myself to a different standard. I’m not like everyone else in NXT who’s just happy to be in the Performance Center, or happy to be on Raw now. I see myself as one of the best and I operate best with a chip on my shoulder, so I put a whole bag of chips on my shoulder that night," Waller said.
The SmackDown newcomer then expressed his belief that Sthe blue brand got the number one pick with the last pick. He predicted that his selection in the draft will go down in history as a memorable moment, as everyone will look back and wonder how he got picked so late.
“I feel SmackDown got the number one pick with the last pick. This is going to go down five years from now - when you think about draft moments, there’s so many cool draft moments. I think Grayson Waller getting picked last will be a moment because I’ll be at this stage, and everyone’ll look back and go wow, how did he get picked so late?” Waller said.
Waller will host the Grayson Waller Effect on the May 19 episode of WWE SmackDown. Check out the card here.
Like Waller, NXT stars Katana Chance and Kayden Carter were selected during the draft. Click here to see what they had to say about moving to the main roster.
