Joe Haden not among the NFL’s Top 100 players?

And not among the NFL’s top nine cornerbacks?

That’s the feeling of one NFL analyst. In compiling his Top 100 players for CBS Sports, Pete Prisco included two Cleveland Browns. Haden is not one of them.

Nine cornerbacks made the list; five are from the AFC.

But not Haden.

This seems like a major oversight. Prisco has a long-standing tradition of picking as he sees it, and he bases his picks on watching film, not on opinion and chatter.

Browns cornerback Joe Haden not being ranked among the NFL's Top 100 players seems to defy logic. Ken Blaze/USA TODAY Sports

The nine cornerbacks who are better than Haden, in Prisco’s opinion: Richard Sherman of the Seattle Seahawks (No. 7 overall), Darrelle Revis of the New York Jets (No. 8), Chris Harris Jr. of the Denver Broncos (No. 22), Patrick Peterson of the Arizona Cardinals (No. 39), Vontae Davis of the Indianapolis Colts (No. 40), Desmond Trufant Jr. of the Atlanta Falcons (No. 63), Jimmy Smith of the Baltimore Ravens (No. 79), Xavier Rhodes of the Minnesota Vikings (No. 80) and Sean Smith of the Kansas City Chiefs (No. 86).

Candor prompts me to say Prisco is a good friend. He and I go way back to covering Emmitt Smith in college. I know he respects Haden and likes him a ton as a player.

I e-mailed Prisco and he wrote back and explained that he simply thought Haden didn't play as well early last season as he had in previous seasons -- a contention that is probably true.

"It was hard to do," Prisco wrote of leaving Haden off the Top 100.

Watch Haden every day and he sure seems like one of the league's better corners.

I checked out ProFootballFocus.com to see how the analytics website broke down last season's cornerbacks. Its top six: Harris, Davis, Sherman, Revis, Smith and Trufant.

Haden ranked 28th, with a ranking just above average.

Is Haden overrated in Cleveland?

Hardly.

ProFootballReference.com gave Haden’s 2014 season an approximate value of 10, tying him for 87th in the NFL, which does break the Top 100.

Among cornerbacks, Haden ranked sixth -- behind Sherman, Revis, Harris, Davis and Brent Grimes. Haden broke up 23 passes last season, which tied Philadelphia's Bradley Fletcher for the best in the league.

Sometimes, too, value can’t be assessed through a number or analytics.

Haden draws the toughest assignment each and every week and usually comes through. The one exception is Antonio Brown, who gives Haden trouble -- but Brown gives a lot of people trouble. The Browns know they can rely on Haden, and his ability to play press-man coverage is a key to the team’s defense.

Opinions and feelings of others aside, Haden passes any eye test. He's aggressive. He attacks the ball. He's a team guy. He played with a shoulder injury and the flu in the season finale. I’d take him, his attitude and his approach on my team any day of any season.

Credit Prisco, though, for noticing how well Browns offensive lineman Joel Bitonio played as a rookie. The guy was a natural from the day he stepped on the field. Prisco ranked him 92nd and wrote: “He stepped in as a rookie starter and looked right at home. He was one of the better guards in the league and has a bright future inside after making the move from college tackle.”

Browns offensive tackle Joe Thomas ranked 32nd, with this comment: “Thomas isn't as elite as guys like Tony Boselli and Walter Jones, but he is the best of this era.”

The Ravens had seven players in the Top 100, the Steelers four, and the Bengals and Browns two each.