The 2024 WWE Draft kicked off on SmackDown, with the first round of picks laying the foundation for what should be a busy night two on Monday.

Or not, if the results from Friday night are any indication.

The first night of action in this year's draft was anticlimactic, to say the least, with little in the way of actual moves. Most recognizable faces eligible Friday night stayed exactly where they had been, begging some to question why even bother with a draft outside of the obvious TV rating benefits.

With that in mind, which brand emerged from the first night of draft action the clear winner?

2024 WWE Draft Night One Picks

• Bianca Belair (SD)
• Jey Uso (Raw)
• Carmelo Hayes (SD)
• Seth "Freakin" Rollins (Raw)
• Randy Orton (SD)
• Bron Breakker (Raw)
• Nia Jax (SD)
• Liv Morgan (Raw)
• LA Knight (SD)
• Ricochet (Raw)
• The Bloodline (SD)
• Sheamus (Raw)
• AJ Styles (SD)
• Alpha Academy (Raw)
• Andrade (SD)
• Kiana James (Raw)

Who Won the Night?

The official arrival of Hayes to the SmackDown brand pushes the Friday night staple past Raw for the win here.

We learned right away that the former NXT champion is an impact player based on the tense face-to-face with undisputed WWE champion Cody Rhodes and the subsequent main event match it resulted in.

Melo may not have won that match but announced to the world that he belonged in the spotlight alongside the biggest babyface in the company.

Other than that, the most noteworthy move was not that of a main roster star. Instead, that move belonged to Hayes' fellow NXT alum, new Raw competitor Kiana James.

It may be too early for the young star to jump from an in-ring perspective but she has the character and personality to stand out while her work catches up to that of her peers.

Winner: SmackDown