Kentucky got itself to within one win of bowl eligibility with six games to play last season, then promptly closed the year on a six-game skid to miss out on bowl season.

Kentucky will make another run at the postseason in 2015, but even if it succeeds it’ll lose a wealth of talent at season’s end, forcing Mark Stoops to stay on top of his game on the recruiting trail.

Here are a few of the needs he’ll have to address with Kentucky’s 2016 recruiting class if he hopes to continue moving the program forward as he has in his first two years on campus.

OFFENSIVE LINE

Losing after 2015: Jordan Swindle, Zach West

Kentucky returns its entire starting offensive line from last season save for left tackle Darrian Miller, the veteran of the line. However, Kentucky’s offensive line was far from impressive in 2014, ranking near the bottom of the SEC in sacks and tackles for loss allowed.

After this season, UK will lose its starting left tackle in Swindle (who started at right tackle a year ago) and veteran left guard Zach West, depleting one side of the line. Earlier this year, the Cats signed a tackle they’re extremely pleased with in early enrollee George Asafo-Adjei, and he’ll possibly assume a starting job in 2016.

Still, Kentucky knows how vital depth along the offensive line is, and they’ve addressed that need in earning commitments from two four-star offensive linemen for 2016, both from the state of Kentucky. If UK can maintain those commitments, it’ll be well on its way to building an above-average line.

CORNERBACK

Losing after 2015: Cody Quinn, Fred Tiller, Glenn Faulkner

Kentucky won’t just losing its starting cornerbacks from 2014-15 next offseason, but rather two corners who’ve played significant reps throughout their entire Kentucky careers, dating back to the final year of the Joker Phillips era. But for what it’s worth, Kentucky’s secondary has struggled throughout their careers, indicating experience has not always led to results in the defensive backfield.

Once Tiller and Quinn leave, only J.D. Harmon (primarily a special-teamer) and Blake McClain will bring significant SEC experience to the field with him in 2016, especially considering there will also be turnover at the safety position after 2015. The Cats added three hree-star corners in their 2015 class, and knowing Mark Stoops’ background in coaching defense he’d love to add even more depth at the position to allow him to maximize the particular skills of each player.

Right now he’ll need to mold players to fit a number of roles in the secondary, especially after Quinn and Tiller move on from the program. So adding bodies with upside is vital for the future of the position group.

LINEBACKER

Losing after 2015: Josh Forrest, Ryan Flannigan, Khalid Henderson, Daron Blaylock

As Kentucky transitions into its 3-4 defense it’ll need to continue to collect linebackers fit for the scheme. Many of the experienced linebackers on the team were recruited to play in a 4-3 system, and while some have adjusted well the Cats could stand to add a few more linebackers suited to play in a 3-4, especially athletic edge rushers to play outside linebacker.

Kentucky will also lose its top 3 linebackers after this season in Forrest, Flannigan and Henderson, depleting the program of a great number of starts, many of which came in SEC play. Forrest emerged as a pleasant surprise and one of the finest inside linebackers in the SEC in 2014, and Henderson and Flannigan have both had fine stretches at the weak side linebacker position.

Losing those three all in one fell swoop will not be easy for Stoops and his defense to overcome right away, but adding depth at both inside and outside linebacker could at least give the head coach more options as he prepares to manage what should be a very young position group in 2016.

Other positions Mizzou should target: DE, DT, S

CURRENT RECRUITING CLASS

Kentucky actually has put together one of the best recruiting classes in the nation early in the recruiting cycle, currently sitting at No. 7 in the nation in the 247Sports industry composite recruiting rankings with 16 commitments.

For now, Kentucky is ahead of the recruiting curve for 2016, stockpiling commitments and adding talent at virtually every position. And for a school like UK, pouncing on talent early in the process could lead to greater success on the recruiting trail.

CATS CERTAINLY ON TRACK TO FILL NEEDS

The class is headlined by the pair of four-star linemen from in state — center Drake Jackson and tackle Landon Young, and those two go a long way toward resolving UK’s offensive line issues of late. As of now, three-star offensive tackle Luke Fortner is the only other offensive lineman in the class, but those three additions alone will likely make a huge difference in Lexington if they maintain their commitments until signing day.

The Cats also have a commitment from four-star cornerback Jordan Griffin (he’s really on the fence between a three- and four-star rating depending on who you ask), as well as from an inside linebacker and a 6-foot-6 defensive end who may be moved to outside linebacker with primarily an edge-rushing role.

All in all, nearly every position group is covered in this class, and with the class’ top talent filling in at two of the team’s greatest positions of need, UK fans have to be happy with how this class is coming together.

OUTLOOK

The key from here on out for Kentucky will be pursuing talents that in years past might have been out of the Cats’ league. UK has already laid the foundation for a fantastic recruiting class relative to the program’s standards, and it already has three top talents headlining the class in addition to some great depth in the form of three-star recruits.

So with the few spots UK has left in the class (as of now), why not pursue some more elite players and try and sell them on early playing time, a renovated stadium, new facilities, a passionate fan base and the additions of other four-star players in the 2016 class? That pitch may not work in the end, but don’t tell me it’s not a compelling sell to a potential recruit.

Stoops’ other task between now and signing day is to keep his current commitments committed to Kentucky. Last year, Kentucky lost the McDowell twins, a pair of touted recruits, to Michigan State late in the cycle, and it failed to keep five-star tailback Damien Harris in his home state. Of course, Harris was the top tailback in the entire class, so his choice to attend Alabama is not surprising. But it does show UK is not entitled to the best players from its home state just because its UK, so it must continue to work to keep both its four-star linemen.

If Stoops can do those two things — shoot for the stars by pursuing more four-star prospects and maintain all his current commitments — the outlook is good for the Cats in 2016.