Some wrestling royalty will be part of the next group of potential WWE stars.
WWE has revealed the fifth class of its Next In Line (NIL) program, USA TODAY Sports confirmed, with 12 former college athletes making the jump to the ring with the hope of one day being on the company’s roster. The class was finalized the same night as Money in the Bank 2025 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.
The 12 athletes come from across the country and played various sports, from football to hockey to lacrosse. The names that will stand out in the class are Oklahoma football player and wrestler Jacob Henry, the son of former World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry. Also on the list is former Jacksonville State receiver Brock Rechsteiner, the son of former world champion Scott Steiner. His uncle is Rick Steiner and his cousin is current WWE star Bron Breakker.
WWE new NIL class
Brock Rechsteiner (Jacksonville State, football)
Jacob Henry (Oklahoma, football and wrestling)
Meghan Walker (Nebraska, track and field)
TJ Bullard (Central Florida, football)
Madison Kaiser (Minnesota, hockey)
Garrett Beck (Grand Canyon, lacrosse)
Kerrigan Huynh (University of Central Oklahoma, track and field)
Fatima Katembo (LSU Shreveport, basketball)
Bianca Pizano (Michigan State, field hockey)
Gina Adams (Lynn University, basketball)
Hidetora Hanada (Colorado State, football)
Zuriel Jimenez (Columbia University, track and field)
What is the WWE NIL program?
Established in 2021, WWE introduced the NIL program as a way to identify future stars and prepare them for a career in wrestling. WWE sought college athletes through NIL deals. Former Miami basketball players Haley and Hanna Cavinder were part of the program.
While not every person that entered the program has turned out to be a WWE star, some have not only made rosters, but have turned out to be successful in the ring. That includes NXT Champion Oba Femi and NXT Tag Team Champion Tank Ledger.