There aren't many corners in college who can create a Revis Island-like presence, but Ifo Ekpre-Olomu certainly does. He's fast enough to keep up with speedy wide receivers but his quickness and smarts are what make him an All-American. With quick hips and nice recovery speed, Ekpre-Olomu rarely gets caught out of position on double moves and can keep No. 1 receivers in check no matter how much they try to get away from him. He's never the biggest corner on the field but he's one of the more fluid and has a solid claim as the best defensive back west of the Mississippi.
Pulling back the curtain on the vote
Finally, we can all agree. Ekpre-Olomu is the first player in our countdown so far that all seven of our panelists ranked in their personal top-20 player lists. It was a very consistent vote, too, without much variation in where they placed him. He was ranked as high as eighth (he received just two top-10 votes) and as low as 16th. Three panelists pegged him as the 11th-best player in college football.
What some of our analysts are saying about Ekpre-Olomu
"He's a little undersized but has excellent quickness and ball skills." - Daniel Jeremiah
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"The premier cover corner in college football displays a game that reminds some of Darrelle Revis." - Bucky Brooks
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"Has impressed since his freshman year ... a full-package defender." - Charles Davis
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"He's the best in the country at his position, which makes him the leading candidate for the Jim Thorpe Award this season." - Chase Goodbread
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"He's a legit shutdown corner. Plus, Ducks secondary coach John Neal calls him a "vicious" tackler. A shutdown corner who's a vicious tackler? Those are rare -- and truly fun to watch." – Mike Huguenin
Where do fans rank Ekpre-Olomu?
We asked Twitter and Facebook users who they considered the best player in college football. Not surprisingly, because of the position he plays, Ekpre-Olomu didn't receive a vote among the more than 19,000 fans who cast a ballot. It's also difficult to have name recognition with one few can accurately pronounce.