The Vanity Project, Eli Knight, & Keanu Carver Signs WWE NXT Contracts

WWE announced earlier today that WWE ID talents The Vanity Project (Jackson Drake, Brad Baylor, & Ricky Smokes) and Eli Drake and WWE EVOLVE talent Keanu Carver recently signed official developmental contracts for their NXT brand.

Vanity Project is taking over Tuesday nights. 😎

Welcome to #WWENXT, @JacksonDrake03, @bradbay1or and @smokeshow_ricky! @avawwe_ pic.twitter.com/a3UkQjRqeq

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) January 13, 2026

Congratulations to the newest member of the #WWENXT roster, Eli Knight!

Welcome to Tuesday nights, @stepupplease! @avawwe_ pic.twitter.com/GbjXHG1p3U

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) January 13, 2026

Get ready. 👀@KeanuCarverWWE is the newest member of the #WWENXT roster! @avawwe_ pic.twitter.com/XhERBaoeTR

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) January 13, 2026

Prior to their official signings, Drake, Baylor, and Smokes had been under WWE ID deals since November of 2024 and had been working in WWE’s WWE EVOLVE brand. Drake is the current holder of the WWE EVOLVE Men’s Championship.

Knight had been under a WWE ID deal since this past October and had been working in WWE’s WWE EVOLVE brand.

Carver had been under a WWE developmental deal since November of 2023 and had been working for WWE’s WWE EVOLVE and NXT LVL Up brands.