PARKS’S TAKE: No single NXT wrestler stands out who can step up and replace call-ups, but there are a lot of candidates

NXT is about to see a significant roster change at the top of the card, especially in the men’s division. Trick Williams and Je’Von Evans have already been promoted to the main roster and, based on the ending to last night’s show, it appears Oba Femi will soon follow.

Those are three big sets of shoes to fill on Tuesday nights. Who could be up for the task in taking over their television time? Last night’s NXT previewed who some of those candidates could be.

Ricky Saints and Ethan Page have both been booked as stars. Saints has flirted with the NXT Title and Ethan is the current North American Champion. It would only be a small step up the ladder of them to take the place of those that have moved on.

Stacks has been NXT’s point-person in the brand’s recent attacks on TNA. Having moved away from the mafioso character and now paired with his real-life fiancee, Arianna Grace, Stacks may have more upward trajectory sooner than anyone else on this list.

Speed Champion Jasper Troy, as well as Josh Briggs, Shiloh Hill, and Tavion Heights were all involved in a segment with Ethan last night. All could be in line for a bigger push, though Hill’s goofball character would seem to limit him somewhat.

A vignette aired for a new masked character, Elio LeFleur. He could be positioned out of the gate to replace Evans’s athleticism.

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Joe Hendry is now in NXT full-time and clearly fans love him; the brand needs a top babyface who gets a reaction like Hendry. The man he will oppose next week, Dion Lennox, has been christened the leader of Dark State. That position could come with increased visibility over the next few months.

Tony D’Angelo recently returned from some time away. More than anyone else on this list, he has the credibility of having been a main eventer before and could easily step back into that position as either a heel or babyface.

Vanity Project is a group that has dominated the minutes on Evolve TV and is now getting more play on NXT. Jackson Drake, a member of the group and current Evolve Champion, should be in this discussion.

There are a lot of names here that could be promoted into a top spot on an NXT brand with a clear need for top males. I don’t consider any of them slam dunks, so it’ll be interesting to see who the NXT brass chooses to run with, at least at first.