The 2011 NFL Draft season in high gear after the conclusion of the East-West Shrine Game, the Senior Bowl, and the NFL Scouting Combine. Pewter Report issues our third mock draft of the year. Check back tomorrow for a mock of the second round.

FIRST ROUND
1. Carolina Panthers- Alabama DT Marcel Dareus
Ron Rivera and Marty Hurney are defense guys. Dareus is dominant and a safe pick. He was a standout at the combine as well.

2. Denver Broncos- Auburn DT Nick Fairley
Fairley fits well in John Fox’s defense as a three technique rusher next to Elvis Dumervil.

3. Buffalo Bills- Missouri QB Blaine Gabbert 
Quarterbacks always rise prior to the draft. The Bills need a franchise quarterback.

4. Cincinnati Bengals- Clemson DE Da’Quan Bowers
Bowers falls in this mock. He has a slight knee injury and some bad tape.

5. Arizona Cardinals- LSU CB Patrick Peterson
The Cardinals pass defense was a major weakness in 2010.

6. Cleveland Browns- Georgia WR A.J. Green
The Browns president Mike Holmgren wants a game-changer on offense.

7. San Francisco 49ers- Texas A&M OLB Von Miller
The 49ers need a pass rusher and Miller was one of the best in college football the past two years.

8. Tennessee Titans- North Carolina DE Robert Quinn
The Titans get a bookend to go with Derrick Morgan.

9. Dallas Cowboys- Wisconsin DE J.J. Watt
Watt would serve as a five technique in the Cowboys defense.

10. Washington Redskins- Auburn QB Cam Newton
Bruce Allen and Mike Shanahan are never afraid to gamble.

11. Houston Texans- UCLA OLB Akeem Ayers
The Texans need 3-4 players at OLB, and NT. Ayers is a great fit.

12. Minnesota Vikings- Missouri DE Aldon Smith
The Vikings could lose Ray Edwards in free agency. Smith is a good replacement.

13. Detroit Lions- Nebraska CB Prince Amukamara
This is great value for the Lions to land Amukamara here.

14. St. Louis Rams- Alabama WR Julio Jones
The Rams need some weapons for Sam Bradford. Jones is injured but so was Bradford prior to the draft.  

15. Miami Dolphins- Alabama RB Mark Ingram
Ingram could help save the regime. Running backs can have a quick impact.

16. Jacksonville Jaguars- California DE Cameron Jordan
Jordan’s stock rose after the Senior Bowl. It looks like he’ll follow former teammate Tyson Alualu to the Jaguars.

17. New England Patriots- Boston College OT Anthony Castonzo
The Pats have to do a better job of protecting Tom Brady.

18. San Diego Chargers- Illinois DT Corey Liuget
He would fit in as a five technique for the Chargers.

19. New York Giants- Colorado OT Nate Solder
Solder fits the type of players the Giants have drafted.

20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Purdue DE Ryan Kerrigan
Click here for the analysis for why the Bucs would take Kerrigan in the Pewter Report Buccaneers Seven-Round Mock Draft.

21. Kansas City Chiefs- USC OT Tyron Smith
The Chiefs need some help at the tackle position.

22. Indianapolis Colts- Wisconsin OT Gabe Carimi
The Colts have to add some offensive line help to protect Peyton Manning. They openly regretted not drafting Rodger Saffold.

23. Philadelphia Eagles- Mississippi State OT Derek Sherrod
The Eagles need help up front. Sherrod fits the demeanor they look for.

24. New Orleans Saints- Iowa DE Adrian Clayborn
The Saints like bigger defensive ends of Clayborn’s stature. They also don’t mind players with question marks on and off the field. Clayborn is overrated.

25. Seattle Seahawks- Colorado CB Jimmy Smith
He will fill a big need in the Seahawks secondary. Character concerns keep Smith out of the top half of the draft.

26. Atlanta Falcons- Maryland WR Torrey Smith
The Falcons could use another weapon to pair with Roddy White.

27. Baltimore Ravens- Pittsburgh WR Jonathan Baldwin
The Ravens wide outs need some help. They were a weakness in the playoffs.

28. New England Patriots- Georgia DE/OLB Justin Houston
That Patriots need pass rush help and Houston is a perfect fit.

29. Chicago Bears- Boise State WR Titus Young
A wide out that will fit in well with Mike Martz offense. Defensive line and offensive line are options here as well.

30. New York Jets- Ohio State DE Cameron Heyward
The Jets could use a five technique and Heyward is a good fit for that.

31. Pittsburgh Steelers- Florida G Mike Pouncey
The Steelers need help at guard and Pouncey will fit perfectly next to his brother.

32. Green Bay Packers- Temple DE Muhammad Wilkerson
The Packers are probably going to lose Cullen Jenkins in free agency.

On Sunday and Monday look for the second and third round projections to be posted. For other excellent mock drafts and scouting reports be sure to check out WalterFootball.com and DraftCountdown.com.