With the world's best athletes set to compete in the Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, we thought we'd get in on the fun by holding a medal competition at each major position group. College Football 24/7 analysts ranked the top three players at each position, with points assigned to each player accordingly -- three points for each first-place ranking, two for each second-place ranking and one for each third-place ranking. The points were totaled, resulting in final gold-, silver- and bronze-medal finishers. The medal presentation continues with cornerbacks.
Cornerback Podium
GOLD MEDAL: Jalen Tabor, Florida
SILVER MEDAL: Desmond King, Iowa
BRONZE MEDAL: Adoree' Jackson, USC
Also receiving votes: Marlon Humphrey, Alabama; Sidney Jones, Washington; Jourdan Lewis, Michigan; Cameron Sutton, Tennessee; Tre'Davious White, LSU.
Analyst ballots
Daniel Jeremiah: 1) Jalen Tabor 2) Tre'Davious White 3) Adoree' Jackson
Tabor has the size to match up with the bigger, physical wideouts and the speed to mirror smaller, quicker slot receivers. White is incredibly raw. He struggled in the bowl game against Texas Tech, but he has all of the tools to be an elite cover man. Jackson is a world-class athlete, and when his technique is on point he can match up with the best wideouts in the country. He isn't there yet, but he has tremendous upside.
Lance Zierlein: 1) Jalen Tabor 2) Desmond King 3) Sidney Jones
Tabor has big shoes to fill with Vernon Hargreaves gone, but some Gator fans thought Tabor might have been better than VH3 last season. If King can piece together another monster season like last season, he will end up with the gold.
Bucky Brooks: 1) Desmond King 2) Jalen Tabor 3) Adoree' Jackson
King isn't a household name, but few cover corners can match his combination of instincts, awareness and cover skills. Tabor is the prototypical corner with the length and range to suffocate WR1s.
Charles Davis: 1) Desmond King 2) Cameron Sutton 3) Adoree' Jackson
When it's time to talk NFL draft, Jackson could easily head the pack, but I could not be more impressed with King, both on TV games and on tape. He has an uncanny ability to find his way to the point of attack, and the football. Sutton made a great decision to go back to Tennessee for more seasoning, and his improvement should continue as he takes on the best reecivers in the SEC. Jackson is the best overall athlete of the three.
Chase Goodbread: 1) Jalen Tabor 2) Desmond King 3) Jourdan Lewis
Just a year after the Gators had arguably the top cornerback in the game in Vernon Hargreaves, they're back with another contender in Tabor. King is a strong, tough and instinctive cover man, and the returning Jim Thorpe Award winner. Lewis is small but highly productive, and joined King as a first-team All-Big Ten cornerback last year.
Chad Reuter: 1) Jalen Tabor 2) Marlon Humphrey 3) Desmond King
Opposing passers must avoid all three of these guys unless they want to take a long walk to the sideline after a turnover. Tabor's a talent similar to recent ball-hawking and tough Gator defensive backs Joe Haden and Vernon Hargreaves. People outside of the Heart of Dixie really don't know how good a cover guy Humphrey is yet, but they will soon. Iowa's All-American spurned the NFL, choosing instead to use this length and ball skills (eight interceptions in 2015) to try for back-to-back Jim Thorpe Awards.
Follow College Football 24/7 on Twitter _@NFLCFB_.
