The ceiling is gone.

We’re no longer living in a time when a true freshman needs to be built like Herschel Walker to make an immediate impact. We’re seeing across college football that age is just a number. Does experience help? Absolutely.

But Jake Fromm and Tua Tagovailoa weren’t held back in the national championship against elite defenses, despite the fact that both were true freshmen quarterbacks. As we turn the page to the beginning of 2018, it’s probably unfair to assume that Fromm and Tagovailoa will become the norm in terms of impact freshmen.

Clearly, though, there are plenty of true freshmen who could burst onto the scene by season’s end. I based my rankings of who has the best potential to do just that. That takes immediate impact potential coupled with there being a path to playing time.

Let’s predict the SEC’s top 10 true freshmen for 2018:

10. Justin Fields, Georgia QB

Why not kick this list off with the SEC’s top 2018 recruit? Fields has the makings of a future Heisman Trophy winner. Watch him hang in the pocket and you’ll think he’s Cam Newton. But before Fields makes a run at superstardom, he’ll have to wait until either a collapse or an injury from Fromm. The latter doesn’t seem too far-fetched given Fromm’s adventurous offseason. Fields will get plenty of reps late in games like Tagovailoa did last year, but he’s still a backup. Hence, why he’s not higher on this list.

9. Brenton Cox, Georgia EDGE

Yes, there are plenty of Dawgs on this list. That’s what happens when you sign the No. 1 class in the recruiting rankings era. Cox has a chance to make an immediate impact with Georgia experiencing massive turnover in the middle of the defense. All signs out of camp point to the 5-star recruit at least being part of the rotation from the jump. He already has the size at 6-4, 245 pounds. It could be a matter of time before he’s making plays as a third-down specialist.

8. Matthew Hill, Auburn WR

The learning curve is steep for freshmen wide receivers, but Hill is a solid candidate to take it on. The 4-star recruit is already making big-time catches in practice. He’ll have a chance to get some looks in the slot with Will Hastings out with a torn ACL. Hill, who was a big-time get out of the state of Georgia, is versatile. At 6-2, he can catch passes anywhere, he can be used in the running game and he’s a viable return option. That’s the mark of someone who Gus Malzahn will find a spot for in a hurry (via Top Billin’ Sports).

7. Leon O’Neal Jr., Texas A&M S

When he’s not calling out Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables or former LSU star Derrius Guice, O’Neal is getting ready to carve out a role in Mike Elko’s defense. The highly-touted freshman definitely has the trash talking down, but the question is how much will he play early on. Armani Watts left a hole at free safety, and if Elko deems O’Neal up to it, he’ll be the one filling it. O’Neal has the size and physicality to become a nuisance on the back end of A&M’s revamped defense.

6. Asa Martin, Auburn RB

I mean, it’s basically a given that Auburn is going to have some star running back emerge, right? The leaders of the SEC’s longest active 1,000-yard rusher streak might turn to Kam Martin to start, but Asa Martin has a shot to emerge with a large workload by season’s end. Even if the Alabama Mr. Football doesn’t earn the lion’s share of the carries, he can catch passes out of the backfield. Malzahn said that Martin “doesn’t look like a freshman” and that he’s made some nice physical strides. Don’t be surprised if Malzahn winds up heaping more praise Martin’s way as he looks to establish himself in the backfield.

5. Alontae Taylor, Tennessee CB/WR

Is he a natural receiver or defensive back? Who knows? All we know now is that Taylor is the talk of Tennessee’s camp. It looks like he’s a candidate to start Week 1 in Tennessee’s secondary, despite Jeremy Pruitt trying to cool some of that hype. Still, with Pruitt’s tutelage and a Tennessee secondary with some position openings, it’s hard not to see the 4-star recruit getting plenty of run in 2018. It seems like wherever Taylor gets put on the field, he’s going to catch passes.

4. Zamir White, Georgia RB

Yes, I understand that he’s still working his way back from a torn ACL. To assume that White will be in peak form from the jump might be asking for too much. But once White gets a chance to get his legs under him, look out. The 5-star tailback could make an impact like the one D’Andre Swift made last year. “Zeus” will be getting meaningful reps by a season end, and if he follows in Swift’s footsteps, he’ll be a key part of Georgia’s offense. Yes, there will be plenty of work to go around with Nick Chubb and Sony Michel’s 379 carries off to the NFL. White won’t need a large share of that to do his damage.

3. James Cook, Georgia RB

While White tries to find his role in the offense, I believe Cook will already have his established early in the season. Dalvin Cook’s younger brother has a major opportunity to surpass Elijah Holyfield in the Georgia running back pecking order. If and when the 4-star recruit flashes that explosiveness, he’ll become an obvious candidate to see more and more work. Cook might’ve arrived on campus late, but he won’t get buried in that crowded backfield. Someone who can hit home runs like Cook won’t have to wait very long to make a lasting impression (via MaxPreps).

2. Ja’Marr Chase, LSU WR

Chase could easily be at TCU right now. He said NFL Network bumping his announcement was what changed that decision, but regardless, LSU now has a key playmaker on its roster. Ed Orgeron raved about Chase, who is already starting at receiver in scrimmages. Orgeron said that physically Chase “looks like a junior right now,” and that he “keeps coming up.” Chase has a chance to fill a needed role as an intermediate guy to complement Texas Tech transfer Jonathan Giles. Joe Burrow could look the freshman’s way a whole lot in 2018.

1. Patrick Surtain Jr., Alabama CB

If you’re sensing a theme here, it’s that there has to be a path to playing time, no matter how talented the freshman. There’s certainly a path for Surtain, who will play in an Alabama defensive backfield that’ll look vastly different than it did last year. The 5-star recruit could definitely see playing in dime packages early on, and depending on how Alabama’s new starting corners perform, Surtain could be in line to start later in the season. It’s not hard to imagine a 5-star Alabama defensive back becoming a key player with Nick Saban calling the shots.