Whether it’s fair or not, it happens every year in college football. The onslaught of recruiting coverage is to blame for the nation’s incessant need to stop on a dime every first Wednesday in February.

RELATED: Buying or selling hype on 10 SEC veterans

It is what it is.

Hype sells and excites fanbases, but not all perceived studs pan out at the next level, in this case, the SEC.

Determining which true freshmen will be first-year standouts this fall is a challenge, but we’ll try and project their impact based on a variety of factors including roster depth, scheme fit and learning curve.

Buying or selling 2015 SEC freshmen based on hype

10. Martez Ivey, OT, Florida

The Gators have zero depth up front heading into August thanks to an injury-riddled unit that was also ravaged by draft departures. If there’s a true freshman in the entire conference capable of starting Day 1 through the end of November it’s Ivey, a five-star tackle who appears ready to perform. I’m buying Ivey as a reliable blocker by late September and a future early-round pick in a few years.

9. Lorenzo Nunez, QB, South Carolina

How often does a three-star quarterback have this much hype coming into his freshman season? You can blame that on Steve Spurrier who hasn’t exactly boosted projected starter Connor Mitch’s confidence level since spring practice ended. Nunez has had the Gamecocks’ playbook for months and says he’s coming in to start right away, but I would temper expectations a bit. Adjusting to the speed of the college game doesn’t happen overnight and the transition, especially at this position, is oftentimes rocky. I’m selling for now, but could reacquire later when Mitch throws an interception or two against SEC competition. Nunez will be South Carolina’s No. 2 by the opener, but expecting him to start — and have success — is a stretch.

8. Kevin Toliver, DB, LSU

Ed Paris has the edge for the starting spot at corner opposite of Tre’Davious White, but Toliver’s already proved he is too talented to keep off the field in Kevin Steele’s secondary this fall. An early enrollee, Toliver was a natural in LSU’s risky coverage scheme and made several plays during the spring that caught the coaching staff’s attention. It’s a safe bet Toliver is one of the league’s top rookies at his position by season’s end. I’ll buy.

7. Christian Kirk, WR, Texas A&M

This slot speedster is worth buying in the future, but as a first-year player from a production standpoint, I’m selling his worth as an impact wideout. The Aggies simply have too much depth at the position and at best, he would be Kyle Allen’s fourth option in the passing game by Josh Reynolds, Speedy Noil and Ricky Seals-Jones. Much like Noil’s freshman season, expect a couple big plays and periods of inconsistency from the future star.

6. Cece Jefferson, DL, Florida

Considering Florida’s not-so-clean bill of health within the front seven this spring, the Gators are chomping at the bit (no punt intended) for Jefferson’s arrival in pads. Rated a few spots behind Auburn’s Byron Cowart in his home state last recruiting season, Jefferson has next-level potential off the edge and is a player who doesn’t sacrifice speed despite his size. Relentless in pursuit with great quickness, Jefferson’s going to have a shot at considerable playing time on Geoff Collins’ defense by the middle of the season, ala South Carolina’s approach with Jadeveon Clowney as a freshman in 2010. He’s may not be as game-ready as Cowart, but he’ll have opportunity and make the most of it. Buy this kid as Florida’s third-best pass rusher behind Alex McCalister and Jonathan Bullard by November.

5. Terry Godwin, ATH, Georgia

I’m tempted to sell based on the sheer amount of preseason coverage this five-star’s received from all angles, but listening to offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer’s excitement about Godwin’s potential in the slot has me buying into the hype. If there’s one position on offense in need of playmakers for the Bulldogs, it’s at wide receiver where there are a bunch of unknowns behind Isaiah McKenzie, Malcolm Mitchell and Justin Scott-Wesley. Wait until you see what this shifty speedster can do when he has the hands on the football. Comparisons to former West Virginia great Tavon Austin aren’t that far off.

4. Terry Beckner, DT, Mizzou

Now that Mizzou’s first five-star since Dorial Green-Beckham is free to join the tigers after academic concerns, Beckner has some catching up to do up front on Barry Odom’s defense. At least int he early going, he’ll be a rotational player and viable depth option on what’s expected to be a strong defensive line despite heavy draft losses and Marcus Loud’s recent dismissal. I’d expect Beckner to be one of college football’s best at the position with two years under his belt in Craig Kuligowski’s system, but fighting for substantial snaps will be his biggest obstacle this fall. Let’s sell early and take await-and-see approach.

3. Byron Cowart, DL/LB, Auburn

Will Muschamp’s incoming gem on Auburn’s revamped defense, Cowart will reportedly transition to the Buck position within a unit predicated on pressure and creating turnovers. The weak side end-linebacker hybrid is coming into an ideal situation where several defensive line veterans ahead of him, including Carl Lawson, DaVonte Lambert and Montravius Adams, will shoulder much of the load and free the Seffner, Fla., native up for 1-on-1 situations. I’m buying the possibility Cowart manages at least five sacks this fall.

2. Daylon Mack, DT, Texas A&M

The Aggies’ top incoming defender is the perfect complement up front to Myles Garrett, Texas A&M’s standout sophomore pass rusher and SEC defensive player of the year candidate. One of the few league newcomers without a weakness in his game, Mack’s sheer size at 6-foot-1, 330 pounds makes him an immovable object off the snap and a run-stopping headache for opposing offensive coordinators. He’s agile despite the girth and I’m buying his potential to star as a rookie.

1. Trent Thompson, DT, Georgia

If there’s one minor weakness on Jeremy Pruitt’s defense, it’s along the defensive front which isn’t as star-heavy as his linebacking corps and secondary. Thompson enters the season as the nation’s No. 1 overall player from the 2015 class with plenty of hype behind him as an unblockable interior lineman. Buying is a no-brainer. Among Thompson’s individual honors — 247Sports Composite National Player of the Year, a U.S. Army All-American and USA Today’s Defensive Player of the Year. At 6-foot-2, 315 pounds, Thompson looks a lot like former nose guard John Jenkins on film without as much flab, and he’s quicker, too. He’ll face stiff competition against some of the nation’s top interior offensive linemen, but Thompson should hold his own with quickness and power.