5 afterthoughts from the 2016 WWE Draft who became stars in the company

#2 Carmella (No. 59 in the 2016 WWE Draft)

Five years ago today, @CarmellaWWE was the last draft pick in the WWE Draft in 2016. She went from overlooked to one of the most decorated and popular superstars on the roster today. I’m so proud of you, Mella. I can’t wait to see what you do next. 💙pic.twitter.com/sU4Tpa9eNV

— taylor — fan account. (@fabulousfIair) July 19, 2021

As the very last pick of the 2016 WWE Draft, Carmella was not quite tipped to succeed on SmackDown following her call-up from NXT. However, things changed quickly for her. While she was initially a babyface when she debuted, Carmella showed signs of promise through a heel turn a month later.

Her character grew during a long rivalry with Nikki Bella, while a partnership with James Ellsworth would pay off. Carmella won the first-ever Women's Money in the Bank Ladder Match in 2017 - technically the first two.

She would hold the contract for close to 10 months, before cashing it in on Charlotte Flair on the SmackDown after WrestleMania 34. Carmella remained the SmackDown Women's Champion until SummerSlam, where she played her part in the budding story between Charlotte and Becky Lynch.

IMO, @CarmellaWWE really doesn’t get enough credit for how much she’s adapted and improved consistently over the years.She’s really come a long way since debuting on the main roster 5 years ago today. pic.twitter.com/V6AdVbB9u5

— Wrestle Ops (@WrestleOps) July 26, 2021

Since then, Carmella has remained a steady figure on SmackDown as both, a face and a heel. She can be classed as one of the more reliable female stars in WWE, having excelled as a character. Carmella certainly has come a long way since being the 59th and final pick of the 2016 WWE Draft.