At WWE NXT Heatwave 2026, Jackson Drake defeated Myles Borne to win the NXT North American Championship.

Since then, Drake has only defended the title once and will most likely put his gold on the line again at the upcoming Halloween Havoc 2026.

Considering the litany of talent on the NXT roster, there could be any number of contenders coming after the gold moving forward.

Here are four potential next WWE NXT North American Championship challengers for Jackson Drake.

Tavion Heights

On the September 8 edition of WWE NXT, Jackson Drake defeated Tavion Heights to retain the NXT North American Championship.

Heights has since been more focused on the rivalry with his former friend Myles Borne.

Following the conclusion of this feud, Heights might want to set his sights back on the title.

Considering he owns a victory over Drake this year, Heights can find himself with another opportunity at the NXT North American Championship in the near future.

Shiloh Hill

Shiloh Hill has been on the hunt for championship gold since getting called up to the WWE NXT brand.

Earlier this year, Hill came up short against Ethan Page for the NXT North American Championship.

At this time, Hill is embroiled in a feud with Naraku that has seen the two men not being able to settle the score between one another.

With his past interactions with Jackson Drake and The Vanity Project, Shiloh Hill could conclude his rivalry with Naraku and move on to challenge for the NXT North American Championship once again.

Saquon Shugars

Since splitting from DarkState, Saquon Shugars has felt like a star on the rise.

With his charisma and unique in-ring style, Shugars has all the makings of a champion on the WWE NXT brand.

While he is currently feuding with Tristan Angels, this feels like a program that could give him more credibility on his road to championship gold.

Considering DarkState’s past confrontations with The Vanity Project, there could be a ton of potential in a Shugars vs. Jackson Drake clash in the near future.

EK Prosper

There is an argument that no rising star has been on more of a roll than EK Prosper as of late.

On the September 29 episode of WWE NXT, Prosper took Grayson Waller to the limit for the NXT Championship.

The Reality of Wrestling alum has gone from strength to strength since transitioning from the WWE ID program to Evolve to the NXT brand.

After falling short for the top prize on Tuesday nights, Prosper might try his hand at Jackson Drake’s NXT North American Championship before long.