The St. Louis Rams put up a surprising 7-9 record in a tough NFC West this past season. With wins over the Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos and San Francisco 49ers, Jeff Fisher's squad also showed they could play with some of the upper-echelon squads around the NFL. 

Unfortunately for the Rams, the end result was yet another mediocre season in an organization that seems to be all-too-familiar with mediocrity. 

There are specific needs this team must address in the offseason, some at the most important positions the game of football has to offer. 

Here is our early look at the Rams 2015 NFL draft needs. 

1. Quarterback

Rams quarterbacks combined to throw 20 touchdowns compared to 16 interceptions in 2014. They averaged just 230 passing yards per game and finished with a 84.9 quarterback rating. Those are some pretty bad statistics in a vacuum. Now take into account the fact that Shaun Hill and Austin Davis took the snaps from under center, and the Rams quarterback situation is among the worst in the NFL. 

Sam Bradford is set to count $16.6 million against the cap next season. Even if he agrees to take a pay cut to remain with the team, it's highly likely that the Rams will look for some competition. In addition to this, no one on their right mind views Bradford as the long-term solution, especially after ACL injuries in successive seasons. 

The primary issue with St. Louis being able to spend a first-round pick on a quarterback is that it had too much success on the field in 2014. Surprisingly, the team won seven games. This means that it's going to be selecting 10th overall. It doesn't take a genius to realize that Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota won't be available there. Short of reaching for Jameis Winston, the Rams will likely have to trade back into the bottom of the first to select a second-tier option like UCLA's Brett Hundley. It's not an ideal scenario, but general manager Les Snead has worked wonders positioning the team extremely well during the draft. Connor Cook (should he declare) is an option later in the draft, potentially in the second round. 

2. Wide Receiver

Brian Quick finally broke out this season. He recorded 25 receptions for nearly 400 yards and two scores before going down for the season with a shoulder injury in Week 9. Second-year bust Tavon Austin recorded 31 receptions for just 242 yards without a touchdown. He played solely in the slot and was nothing more than a gadget player throughout the season. Even if Austin were to pick up his performance, the Rams would still need an outside presence opposite Quick. Some may conclude Kenny Britt (48 receptions, 748 yards and three touchdowns in 2014) could be that guy, but his off-field and behavorial issues have to be of some concern to the Rams. Britt is also set to be a free agent and could draw some interest on the open market. 

If the Rams look to add a receiver early in the draft, Alabama's Amari Cooper will be off the board at pick No. 10. After yielding a lot to trade up for Austin back in 2013, Snead's unlikely to go in that direction again. West Virginia's Kevin White is more of a speed guy, so that's not a fit either. Of the second-tier options behind Cooper, the best fit for St. Louis seems to be 6'3", 210-pound Arizona State product Jaelen Strong. He might be a reach inside the top-10, but if the Rams are going for pure need, Strong could be a target. Potential Day 2 targets fitting the mold in St. Louis are: Devin Funchess (Michigan), Vince Mayle (Washington State) and Tony Lippett (Michigan State). 

3. Guard

Davin Joseph was a complete dumpster fire for the Rams this season. According to Pro Football Focus, he finished as the fourth-worst guard in the entire NFL and allowed a ridiculous 19 quarterback hurries from the interior of the offensive line. Backup Mike Person is a cast-off of both the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks, which seemingly makes him nothing more than a depth option moving forward. 

The Rams won't spend a top-10 pick on this position, but someone like Florida State's Tre' Jackson or Notre Dame's Christian Lombard could be a decent Day 2 selection. Both have a ton of starting experience and could be inserted in the lineup relatively early in their careers. Then again, St. Louis could look to the free agent market to fill this need. 

4. Outside Linebacker

Much like the guard position, outside linebacker was a hot mess in St. Louis this past season. Alec Ogletree did a tremendous job against the run, and he's likely going to be a long-term starter at left outside linebacker. However, Jo-Lonn Dunbar simply doesn't have what it takes to be a decent starter in the NFL. And in reality, that's a position St. Louis could target early. With one of the best defensive fronts in the NFL, a top-tier addition here could help the Rams defense take that next step to elite status. 

This is where Washington's Shaq Thompson and Florida's Dante Fowler Jr. could come into play with the 10th pick. Both are about as athletic as they come from the outside linebacker position and could potentially fit the mold of playing that position in a 4-3 scheme. Of the two, Thompson may be a better natural fit for the Rams' scheme. 

5. Cornerback

Rookie E.J. Gaines played extremely well this past season. He allowed just one touchdown in 964 defensive snaps and gave up a great 79.0 quarterback rating. There's little doubt that the Missouri product fits in St. Louis' long-term plans. Outside of that, there isn't much more to look at here. Janoris Jenkins was burned more than a meth addict cooking over a hot stove. And to be honest, his regression in coverage was one of the most surprising things I saw on tape throughout the NFL this year. Trumaine Johnson seemed to have a bright future after a nice early-career start, but injuries and inconsistency has kept him from improving to the point where he can be relied on to be a starter. 

St. Louis did pick up Lamarcus Joyner in the second round of the 2014 NFL draft, and he's going to be a keeper. But I envision more of a Tyrann Mathieu, hybrid slot-safety role for him. In short, the Rams need another outside corner to team up with Gaines. 

Through the early part of the evaluation process, Michigan State's Trae Waynes is my favorite corner. He can play press, which will help a lackluster group of Rams safety remain at home down the field. He's also already a solid cover guy in terms of technique. However, the 10th pick might be more of a reach for him. Keep an eye on Stanford's Alex Carter as a fast riser leading up to the draft. He would fit the Rams scheme to a T, and could potentially be had in the second round.