Seven-round NFL mock draft, Round 6: Building a win-now team from active players for 2024 season

Even though Nabers is just entering the league, I would think Andy Reid would love to see the receiver’s speed and route running in his offense.

Queen, who has started every game in his four-year career, fills the middle of the Niners’ defense using his speed and toughness. 

One of rival Cincinnati’s leading run defenders the last several years, Reader should be comfortable at nose tackle for the Ravens.

Simmons only played 12 games last year due to injury, but with a return to health in 2024, he is the sort of difference-maker the Lions need in the middle, with his ability to knock down passes at the line of scrimmage and stuff the run.

Dawkins isn’t flashy but is a three-time Pro Bowler for the Bills because he rarely gets beat on the edge.

The Texans got some nice contributions from rookies last year (SEE: Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year awards), so a player like Murphy, who has leverage and quick feet, would be on the radar for their defensive interior.

Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said last month that Diggs “looks great” after missing all but two games due to a knee injury last season.

Green Bay has placed higher value on safeties this offseason, adding Xavier McKinney in free agency and three others in the draft, so grabbing a potential bargain in a leader and playmaker like Fitzpatrick, who’s coming off injury, makes sense.

Dallas could play Autry on the edge and at 3-technique, depending on the alignment. He had a career-high 11.5 sacks in 2023 — his 10th season in the league.

The Browns take the tough-running, electric back, who can also be a solid receiving option for Deshaun Watson out of the backfield after notching 44 receptions in 2023.

Achane showed why Mike McDaniel wanted him in the third round of last year’s draft. His fit in the offense is too good to put him elsewhere.

It is easy to imagine the Eagles having interest in Turner’s skill set leading up to the 2024 draft, because of his speed and undervalued power game.

McKinney sets up the Steelers’ secondary, playing the run and pass with equal efficiency.

Selecting Turner in the third round of the 2023 draft not only proved smart because of his excellent rookie season, but also because the Rams will now need his leadership up front following the departure of similarly-built future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald.

When healthy, Jones can be one of the top dual-threat backs in the league. After missing six games in 2023, he’s due to get back to 1,000 rushing yards and 50 catches this season.

The Colts take Smith after smartly moving him to right tackle when most believed his below-average length meant a pro career at guard. 

Douglas intercepted four passes in nine games for the Bills last season after being traded from Green Bay.

Swift showed last year in Philadelphia that he can be a feature back, so the Bengals add him to take Joe Mixon‘s spot.

Reddick is going for his fifth straight season with double-digit sacks in 2024, and he started every game over the past two years in Philadelphia.

The Raiders snap up Mixon after his former team took Swift two picks earlier. Mixon turns just 28 years old this month — despite going into his eighth year — and could very well have his best season since 2021, when he had more than 1,500 yards of total offense and 16 touchdowns.

Brock Purdy would likely love to have a healthy Andrews in the red zone, running down the seam or to bail him out on off-platform plays.

Addison nearly amassed 1,000 receiving yards as a rookie (911) and scored 10 times for Minnesota. He gives the Bears an up-and-coming speedster to play across from Mike Evans.

Armstead has spent a lot of time on the sideline during his career, but the Jets showed this offseason they are willing to take chances on talented, veteran offensive linemen with injury histories.

Why not pair Greenard with the Vikings after they signed him as a free agent coming off a career-high 12.5-sack season with the Texans?

The Falcons keep one of their own in this scenario, hoping the hype around Ebiketie, who logged six sacks last season, comes to fruition in Year 3.

Decker is as steady a left tackle as they come, stabilizing a position in a manner Tennessee hopes rookie JC Latham can do in the real world this fall.

Teams underestimated Gonzalez’s talent in the 2023 draft, but the Giants saw how well he played for the Patriots before an injury ended his rookie season prematurely.

The Chargers steal the powerful run blocker from their stadium partner. 

A cancer survivor who turned 29 years old in May, Conner looked like a spring chicken in 2023. He and Lamar Jackson would comprise a nice thunder-and-lightning running duo in the desert.

Holland is coming off injury, but he’s as talented a safety as there is in today’s NFL. The 24-year-old is a strong run defender and has the ability to disrupt the passing game.

Kirk couldn’t stay healthy last season after a breakout 2022 campaign, but at this point in this exercise, the Patriots can assume he’ll at least be a reliable target for Joe Burrow.

Carolina takes arguably the league’s top slot corner in Moore, who returned two of his three interceptions for touchdowns last season.