Each and every National Signing Day, the SEC inks more 4- and 5-star recruits than any conference in the country.

Its batting average isn’t necessarily higher that the other leagues, though. Many of those high school blue-chippers go on to become All-Americans at the collegiate level and then first-round picks in the NFL Draft.

Others, however, disappoint to some degree and fail to live up to expectations. You never want to judge a player too quickly, as nagging injuries and stacked depth charts can make it difficult to shine right away. Closing the book on a kid after his freshman campaign — redshirted or not — is oftentimes short-sighted.

All coaches loves a prospect with potential, of course. That being said, eventually said potential must turn into production. With more standouts leaving early for the pros, that means more replacements have to be ready.

Here is one player from every school in the East who has to step it up a notch and assume a bigger role than he has previously.

FLORIDA

WR Tyrie Cleveland

The Gators are in desperate need of a quarterback. That’s been the story in Gainesville since Tim Tebow graduated.

But the skill-position talent surrounding UF’s QBs has been lacking in recent years, too. Aside from Antonio Callaway, coach Jim McElwain hasn’t had a pass catcher who can make enemy defensive backs nervous. And with Callaway’s continued extra-curricular issues, the time is now for another wideout to be heard.

Cleveland averaged 21.3 yards per catch last season as a freshman, although his 14 receptions need to at least triple.

GEORGIA

TE Isaac Nauta

Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Similarly at UGA, signal caller Jacob Eason didn’t have more highlights in Year 1 partially due to a lackluster receiving corps.

The only consistent playmaker was the diminutive Isaiah McKenzie, but you never want your primary target to be 5-foot-8 and 175 pounds. Terry Godwin didn’t grow much from freshman season to sophomore season. Riley Ridley made some big plays but not enough of them. Javon Wims is a junior-college transfer.

Nauta was the No. 1 tight end in the country as a recruit and flashed here and there in 2016. He has All-SEC upside.

KENTUCKY

RB Sihiem King

There were 10 rushers in the conference who went over 1,000 yards a year ago. UK was the only squad to have two of them.

Stanley “Boom” Williams and Benny Snell combined to run the ball 357 times for 2,261 yards and 20 touchdowns, making for quite the one-two punch. Even though Williams wasn’t taken in the draft, the fact that he left Lexington a season early means he has no eligibility left. Snell needs a new partner in crime.

It’s safe to say that the Wildcats won’t be dynamic in the passing game in 2017. Snell-King has to somehow resemble Williams-Snell.

MISSOURI

DT Terry Beckner Jr.

Beckner turned down the likes of Auburn, Florida, LSU, Tennessee and Texas A&M during his recruitment in order to stay close to home.

He paid immediate dividends at Mizzou with 3.0 sacks and 8.0 tackles for loss, which earned him Freshman All-American honors. But injuries on the field and bone-headed decisions off the field hurt his numbers in 2016, as he only played in seven games and was credited with no sacks and just 2.0 TFLs.

The Tigers have produced their fair share of monsters along the D-line recently. Beckner was supposed to be the next superstar.

SOUTH CAROLINA

LB Skai Moore

Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Back in 2015, Moore was one of the elite defenders in the SEC after leading the Gamecocks in tackles three years straight.

Prior to what was supposed to be his senior season, he was diagnosed with a herniated disc in his neck that required surgery and a medical redshirt. The term “career-threatening” was thrown around in Columbia more than once. Now he’s back and finally ready to be a senior, albeit an extra trip around the sun later.

Moore doesn’t need to improve, per se. Simply being the same player he was before will be enough for coach Will Muschamp.

TENNESSEE

DE Jonathan Kongbo

Highly celebrated as a JUCO addition, Kongbo was supposed to make a quick splash as a pass rusher for the Volunteers.

Instead, he got shifted inside to tackle. UT already had Derek Barnett and Corey Vereen in the starting lineup. Kongbo apparently wasn’t very happy about the decision and didn’t have much of an impact as a result, totaling just 3.0 tackles for loss with no sacks. With Barnett and Vereen now gone, Kongbo is back at end again.

Barnett was a one-man wrecking crew for the Vols and an all-time great. Kongbo has some giant shoes to fill.

VANDERBILT

QB Kyle Shurmur

Ralph Webb right, Ralph Webb left, Ralph Webb up the middle — that’s been Vandy’s offensive approach entirely too often.

Already the school’s career rushing leader, Webb eschewed the pros in order to return to Nashville for his senior year. Unless he wants to get beaten into the ground yet again, Shurmur has to find a way to make the Commodores more dangerous vertically. His lifetime TD-to-INT ratio of 15-to-14 leaves a lot to be desired.

Shurmur appeared to turn the corner last November before a horrid bowl game. Now an upperclassman, he has no more excuses.