The 2025 NFL Draft starts on Thursday night in Green Bay, Wisconsin, with the 32 first-round picks. AL.com is counting down to the event by highlighting the best choice – overall, from the SEC and of players from Alabama high schools and colleges — made with each of the first 32 picks in the 89 NFL drafts.

Best No. 6 pick: Syracuse running back Jim Brown by the Cleveland Browns in 1957

When Brown retired after nine NFL seasons to become an actor, he had 2,589 more rushing yards and 29 more rushing touchdowns than any other player in league history. Brown now ranks 11th in rushing yards and sixth in rushing touchdowns on the NFL’s all-time lists.

But 60 years after he retired, Brown still ranks as the NFL’s career leader in rushing yards per game with an average of 104.3. He led the league in rushing yards eight times in his nine seasons, was the first-team All-Pro running back eight times in nine seasons, won the NFL MVP Award three times (and finished second in the voting twice), made the Pro Bowl every year of his career and started every Cleveland game from 1957 through 1965.

Brown is among the 15 Pro Football Hall of Famers who were No. 6 picks, and three were members of the NFL All-Time Team picked for the league’s centennial in 2019, with Sammy Baugh and Walter Jones joining Brown.

The sixth selection in last year’s draft was LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers by the New York Giants.

Best No. 6 pick from the SEC: Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones by the Atlanta Falcons in 2011

The Falcons traded five draft picks to move up 20 spots in 2011 to acquire Jones. In the former Foley High School star’s time with Atlanta, he had more receiving yards than any player had compiled in his first 10 seasons except for Jerry Rice.

That’s even though Jones’ final season with the Falcons was cut in half by injuries. Over the next three seasons, Jones missed 20 games, and he announced his retirement this month.

But for six consecutive seasons during his Atlanta heyday, Jones led the NFC in receiving yards and twice led the NFL in that statistic.

Jones was a first-team All-Pro pick twice, a second-team choice three times and a Pro Bowler seven times in his first nine seasons.

Of the 20 SEC players picked at No. 6, LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers is the most recent after going to the New York Giants in 2024.

Best No. 6 pick with Alabama football roots: Florida State offensive tackle Walter Jones by the Seattle Seahawks in 1997

After the Seahawks drafted Jones, the former Aliceville High School standout started the next 180 games at left tackle for Seattle before a knee injury prematurely ended his career in his 12th season.

Jones was Pro Bowler nine times, a first-team All-Pro four times, a Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee in his first year of eligibility and a member of the NFL All-Time Team selected for the league’s centennial in 2019.

The Las Vegas Raiders hold the No. 6 pick in the NFL Draft on Thursday night.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.