St. Louis Rams' Initial 2015 Round-by-Round Draft Big Board

Now that the season is over, the St. Louis Rams are in the process of stacking the big board in preparation for the 2015 NFL draft.

Preparing for the draft is a long and turbulent process. The board will be shuffled and reshuffled numerous times during the upcoming months. The top-ranked guys now will be different from the top-ranked guys after the NFL combine. The Shrine game and Senior Bowl will also mix things up for NFL teams. 

Any first-rounder we look at could be a second-rounder by the time the draft is complete, and anyone currently with a third-round grade could jump all the way up to Round 1.

It's all subjective until the commissioner takes the podium and makes the picks official.

We can still make rough estimates and a take a wild guess as to who the top targets are, and that's what this article will accomplish.

We'll go through each St. Louis pick and view the top five targets for each selection.

Round 1 (Pick 10)

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WR Amari Cooper, Alabama (6'1", 205 lbs)

Amari Cooper will likely land himself in the top five, but the Rams need to keep him on their radar just in case. Cooper is a game-changing talent and a threat to score on any given play.

The Rams have been in need on a No. 1 receiver for a long time, and if Cooper drops on draft day, this could finally be their chance.

WR Dorial Green-Beckham, Oklahoma (6'6", 225 lbs)

Dorial Green-Beckham is being mocked everywhere between Round 1 and Round 3, but after the combine, you can guarantee he'll climb his way up to top-10 status.

The character concerns are a red flag, but the Rams are not in a position to pass up game-changing offensive talent. If Jeff Fisher feels he can control Green-Beckham, he's worth a long look.

T/G Brandon Scherff, Iowa (6'5", 315 lbs)

The biggest need for the Rams, other than quarterback, is offensive line. It just so happens that Brandon Scherff could very well be the best player available at No. 10 overall.

Scherff will bring back the attitude the Rams lost with the departure of Harvey Dahl. He can start at either right tackle or guard, so that flexibility will certainly come in handy.

QB Jameis Winston, Florida State (6'4", 240 lbs)

Character concerns or not, there's no denying Jameis Winston's immense talent—and there's certainly no denying St. Louis' need for a franchise quarterback. 

Winston is a major risk at No. 10 overall, but if he pans out, he'd be an answered prayer for a franchise that has struggled with quarterback stability since the Kurt Warner and Marc Bulger days.

Without a doubt, Winston is the player who will give Les Snead sleepless nights in the days leading up to the draft. 

OLB Vic Beasley, Clemson (6'2", 235 lbs)

It's hard to fathom the Rams selecting a defensive player with so many questions on offense, but the outside linebacker position certainly needs an upgrade. 

Jo-Lonn Dunbar has not been effective since 2012, and the depth behind him is horrendous. Alec Ogletree is the only linebacker on the team who's truly excelling, so the Rams could use a player like Vic Beasley, who's a very safe pick.

Round 2 (Pick 41)

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RB Todd Gurley, Georgia (6'1", 218 lbs)

For a team striving to establish itself as a run-first unit, drafting a running back is always an option. Todd Gurley is coming off knee surgery, per ESPN.com—so he carries some significant risk—but it's hard to totally ignore one of the best running back prospects to come out in years.

A lot will depend on Gurley's rehab and the healing process. If that's not an issue, he should be somewhere on St. Louis' draft board.

G La'el Collins, LSU (6'5", 315 lbs)

The Rams had one of the worst offensive lines in all of football last season. If St. Louis solves its quarterback situation through free agency or trade, it wouldn't be shocking to see the Rams grab multiple offensive linemen early in the draft. 

La'el Colling is an excellent pass protector and one of the best guards in the draft. He'll help keep the quarterback upright and healthy for the 2015 season.

QB Brett Hundley, UCLA (6'3", 225 lbs)

Brett Hundley is not a refined pocket passer, but he has all the tools to make it work. He can escape pressure with his athleticism, and he has a strong arm. 

The ideal scenario would be to have Hundley sit on the bench and learn for two years behind a veteran, but it's unclear if the Rams can provide him with that luxury given their desperation at the position.

QB Garrett Grayson, Colorado State (6'2", 225 lbs)

Garrett Grayson is the dark-horse candidate at quarterback. A few good workouts could launch him into the first round, or he could drop anywhere from Round 3 to Round 4.

Grayson doesn't have elite arm strength, but he can make all the NFL throws. He's not a scrambler, but he has excellent mobility that will come in handy on bootlegs and roll outs.

It's not a great class for the quarterback position, but expect Grayson to make a strong case as this year's Derek Carr.

OLB Shaq Thompson, Washington (6'2", 230 lbs)

Shaq Thompson of Washington is one of the best 4-3 outside linebackers in the draft. He'll be a candidate for the first round, but the Rams will take a hard look if he slips into the second. 

As mentioned, the Rams need some assistance at linebacker. Teaming up Thompson with Ogletree will instantly improve the run defense.

Round 3 (Pick 72)

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QB Bryce Petty, Baylor (6'2", 230 lbs)

Bryce Petty has excellent accuracy on his deep balls, but we see more rainbows than bullets. His arm strength needs to improve. 

Like Grayson, he has excellent mobility in the pocket even though he's no scrambler. He can escape pressure and make plays with his legs. 

Petty is an intriguing target in the third or fourth round, but an excellent combine performance could raise his status to a second-rounder. The first round seems like major a reach at this point, but you never know.

C Reese Dismukes, Auburn (6'2", 295 lbs)

If the Rams fail to find a starting-caliber center in free agency, they'll basically be forced to grab one in the draft. Scott Wells is no longer effective, and backups Tim Barnes and Barrett Jones are unknown commodities.

Reese Dismukes is arguably the best center of this class, and the Rams love targeting Auburn players (just ask Greg Robinson and Tre Mason). There's a good chance he'll go in the second, but the Rams can't pass him up if he slips to Round 3.

T Corey Robinson, South Carolina (6'7", 345 lbs)

The Rams struggled to get push in short-yardage situations. Adding a 345-pound monster in Corey Robinson would certainly help fix that.

T Cedric Ogbuhei, Texas A&M (6'5", 300 lbs)

Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reported that the Rams are speaking with Kyle Shanahan as a possible replacement for offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer. Shanahan is known for running a zone-blocking schemes, which requires nimble and athletic linemen. 

The 300-pound Cedric Ogbuhei fits that bill. 

DT Michael Bennett, Ohio State (6'2, 290 lbs)

According to Kendall Langford's contract, the Rams can save $6 million in cap space by cutting him in 2015. That does not bode well for Langford, especially since he's been reduced to a backup.

If the Rams do part with Langford, they'll need to draft a replacement. Michael Bennett has a similar build compared to Langford, and after the defensive line's performance for Ohio State in the national championship, he'll certainly be getting some attention.

Round 5 (Pick 137)

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G Arie Kouandjio, Alabama (6'5", 310 lbs)

Arie Kouandjio's older brother, Cyrus, was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the second round in 2014. Arie is not quite on the same level as Cyrus as a prospect, but he's an excellent mid-round target for St. Louis. 

Arie's experience against top-notch SEC talent will help ease his transition into the NFL.

T Austin Sheppard, Alabama (6'5", 310 lbs)

If Kouandjio is unavailable in the middle rounds, the Rams can turn to his Alabama teammate—Austin Sheppard.

Sheppard was a two-year starter at Alabama. He was not one of the Crimson Tide's better linemen, but he's a hard worker and has a good head on his shoulders. He's worth a look. 

C B.J. Finney, Kansas State (6'3", 305 lbs)

If the Rams are unable to secure Dismukes in the second or third round, they'll desperately be searching for other options at center throughout the draft. B.J. Finney is one of those options. 

Finney was a four-year starter for a very solid Kansas State team. He started 52 games throughout his career. His experience will help the Rams, even in a backup role. 

DT Gabe Wright, Auburn (6'2", 295 lbs)

During Auburn's 2013 SEC championship run, defensive tackle Gabe Wright put together a very decent campaign with three sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss. His numbers declined in 2014, but the potential is still there. 

Auburn players are always on St. Louis' radar, so keep an eye on Wright in the late rounds. 

CB Damian Swann, Georgia (5'11", 189 lbs)

The Rams have both starting cornerback positions locked up, and they've even acquired decent depth in E.J. Gaines and Lamarcus Joyner. However, the coverage was still sloppy in 2014, so the top four corners need some competition. 

Damian Swann is a multi-year starter out of the SEC. He lacks the elite traits teams look for in an NFL corner, but so did Gaines, and he certainly panned out.

Round 7 (Pick Unknown)

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OLB Neville Hewitt, Marshall (6'2", 220 lbs)

Marshall made some unexpected noise this season, and it took some talented players to accomplish that. Neville Hewitt is one of those players.

If the Rams can't find linebacker help in the early or middle rounds, it wouldn't hurt to take a flyer on a late-round guy and give him a shot in training camp. 

MLB A.J. Tarpley, Stanford (6'2", 240 lbs)

Middle linebacker James Laurinaitis has not missed a single start in his six years as an NFL player. Given the nature of this league, the Rams have to assume the streak will end sooner rather than later.

An outside linebacker is probably more valuable for the Rams. If Laurinaitis goes down, Ogletree is more than capable of replacing him inside—and the new outside backer can step in for Ogletree on the outside.

The other option would be to find a true inside linebacker to serve exclusively as Laurinaitis' backup. If that's the case, Stanford's A.J. Tarpley would be a nice late-round target.

WR Dezmin Lewis, Central Arkansas (6'4", 210 lbs)

There's no guarantee Brian Quick will be 100 percent by the start of next season, so the Rams could use some help at receiver. If St. Louis fails to snag Cooper or Green-Beckham, it's possible the Rams will then shoot for a late-round lottery ticket.

Dezmin Lewis is not refined and did not face top-notch competition in college, but it'll be hard to blame the Rams for taking a 6'4" receiver in the final round. 

CB Josh Shaw, USC (6'0", 200 lbs)

As mentioned, the Rams are not desperately in need of cornerbacks, but they could use some more competition.

Josh Shaw has a thick body for a true corner, so adding him would give the group more diversity. He wasn't excellent in coverage at USC, so the Rams might view him more as a safety-corner hybrid.

C David Andrews, Georgia (6'2", 295 lbs)

If the Rams sign a starting center in free agency, it's possible they'll still pursue a late-round center in the draft to compete with Barnes and Jones for the No. 2 job.

If that's the case, David Andrews is a decent option. He's a three-year starter with plenty of experience at center. Unfortunately, that was his only position in college. The Rams usually value flexibility on the line, but Andrews has zero experience at guard or tackle, at least not at any meaningful level.