Molding an efficient receiving corps is a priority for the Rams

Fifth in a series of occasional stories on the Rams’ depth by position as the team prepares for the April 28-30 NFL draft. Today, receivers:

The Rams addressed their most pressing need by trading up for the top pick in the NFL draft, a move that enables them to select a quarterback.

North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz and California’s Jared Goff are strong-armed passers with greater potential than presumptive starter Case Keenum.

It probably won’t matter who the quarterback will be, this season or beyond, if the Rams don’t get better play from their receiving corps. The Rams caught 11 touchdown passes last season and ranked last in the NFL in passing offense.

See the most-read stories in Sports this hour>>

Rams receivers dropped too many passes, General Manager Les Snead has said. He has spoken of a desire to mold a unit that plays with the efficiency and consistency of a “Gonzaga basketball team,� with multiple contributors.

In January, Coach Jeff Fisher hired Mike Groh as receivers coach and passing game coordinator. Groh was the wide receivers coach for the Chicago Bears the last three seasons.

The Rams do have a proven weapon in Tavon Austin, a 2013 first-round draft pick. The 5-foot-8, 176-pound Austin caught a team-best 52 passes last season, five for touchdowns. He also is a dynamic punt returner.

But the Rams lack a prototypical No. 1 receiver.

Kenny Britt, entering his eighth pro season, caught 36 passes last season, three for touchdowns. He averaged 18.9 yards per reception.

Brian Quick, a second-round pick in 2012, has never caught more than 25 passes in a season. In 2015, he caught 10. The Rams re-signed him to a one-year contract.

Bradley Marquez, an undrafted free agent, caught 13 passes as a rookie and has shown potential.

The Rams released tight end Jared Cook, who ranked second behind Austin with 39 catches last season. Running back Benny Cunningham, tight end Lance Kendricks and running backs Todd Gurley and Tre Mason ranked behind Britt in receptions.

Stedman Bailey is attempting to come back from head injuries suffered last November when he was shot twice while sitting in a car in Miami. Bailey attended the Rams’ player meeting in Manhattan Beach last month and has recently posted video on social media that shows him going through drills.

Fisher said last month that Bailey was “in the evaluation process, seeking numerous opinions from neurologists and the like. Just to see if he can not only play but continue with a rigorous physical rehab program that will put him in position to play…. As you can imagine, we don’t think there’s any history out there after the head wounds and all that.�

Other receivers on the roster include Kain Colter, the former Northwestern quarterback; Isaiah Ferguson; Deon Long and Nick Toon.

Unrestricted free agent Rueben Randle, who played four seasons with the New York Giants, visited the Rams last month before signing a one-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles.

“We brought in a few but didn’t think they were the best fit,� Snead said about free-agent receivers.

Draft prospects

Before last week’s trade with the Tennessee Titans, the Rams had four picks among the first 100 in the draft. Now they have one.

They have two picks each in the fourth and sixth rounds, Nos. 110, 113, 177 and 190.

With quarterback seemingly taken care of — at least in terms of the draft — receiver is a priority, though the top prospects most certainly will be gone by the fourth round.

In his second mock draft, The Times’ Sam Farmer projected that three receivers would be selected in the first round — Baylor’s Corey Coleman 22nd, Mississippi’s Laquon Treadwell 24th and Texas Christian’s Josh Doctson 28th.

Notre Dame’s Will Fuller, Oklahoma’s Sterling Shepard, Ohio State’s Michael Thomas and Braxton Miller, Pittsburgh’s Tyler Boyd, Arizona State’s Devin Lucien and UCLA’s Jordan Payton are among other receiver prospects.

Follow Gary Klein on Twitter @latimesklein