WWE NXT is beginning to take shape ahead of Stand & Deliver, and the first name has officially been confirmed for the upcoming gauntlet match.

Last week’s episode of NXT saw Interim General Manager Robert Stone announce that a gauntlet match would determine the next challenger for Myles Borne’s North American Championship. That process is now underway, with Stone revealing the first entrant ahead of an NXT live event in Lakeland, Florida.

Jackson Drake has been confirmed as the opening participant in the high stakes match.

Stone added that additional competitors will be revealed daily in the lead up to Tuesday’s episode, gradually building the full lineup. The winner of the gauntlet match will go on to challenge Borne at NXT Stand & Deliver, set for April 4 in St. Louis, Missouri.

Drake brings a growing résumé into the match despite his young age. The 22 year old made his professional debut in 2017 and gained experience across the independent scene in North Carolina, along with select appearances in AEW and on Monday Night Raw before joining WWE through the ID program in November 2024.

He later made an impact on WWE Evolve, capturing the inaugural Evolve Championship in a four way match against Sean Legacy, Edris Enofe, and Keanu Carver. Drake has since transitioned to the NXT roster full time alongside fellow Vanity Project members Ricky Smokes and Brad Baylor.

His momentum took a setback recently, however, as he dropped the Evolve Championship to Aaron Rourke on the March 18 episode of Evolve, which had been taped in February. Now, Drake has an immediate opportunity to bounce back in a major way as he looks to earn a shot at championship gold on one of NXT’s biggest stages of the year.