The Cleveland Browns might be in a great spot for the future. That comes with one massive caveat: they still have to figure out the quarterback position.

It’s a backhanded compliment, because quarterback is also the most important thing to get right in all of sports. Even so, general manager Andrew Berry and the Browns have quietly built one of the more promising young cores in the NFL over the last two drafts.

That was my big-picture takeaway after breaking down the midseason rookie class on 13 Personnel with my co-hosts Austin Stanley and Easton Freeze. When you lay out Cleveland’s recent draft hits side by side, it’s hard to ignore how much talent has landed in Northeast Ohio in a short window.

Back-to-back hits for the Browns

Start with the latest class. The Browns appear to have hits on wide receiver KC Concepcion, wide receiver Denzel Boston, offensive lineman Austin Barber, offensive tackle Spencer Fano, and safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren.

Grabbing that many contributors in a single draft is no small feat. Adding pieces at receiver, along the offensive line, and in the secondary all at once speaks to how well the front office has worked the board.

That success comes on the heels of another strong year. In the previous class, Cleveland landed linebacker Carson Schwesinger and running back Quinshon Judkins. I’m admittedly still not completely sold on Judkins. At the very least, though, he looks like a solid NFL running back, and that alone makes him a useful pick.

Then there’s tight end Harold Fannin Jr., who was a great value in that same draft. He was always a bit of an odd evaluation.

He was a weird player coming out, and the movement skills didn’t fit the typical mold for the position. None of that mattered once the games started, because the guy can play football. Fannin delivered one of the most electric moments of the season at the end of Cleveland’s Week 10 game, and it was the kind of play that gets you out of your seat.

The list doesn’t stop there. Defensive tackle Mason Graham was playing at a high level before he got hurt this season. When you add him to the group, you can see a roster that keeps getting better with every draft. Cleveland just keeps hitting.

The quarterback question still looms

Here’s the thing about building a young core. It only matters if you can find the guy under center to tie it all together. Cleveland has done nearly everything right on the roster-building side over the last two years. Even so, the Browns still have to hit on the most important position in the sport.

Can Berry and the Browns do it? I have no idea. If he can’t, the next decision-maker who takes over in Cleveland will inherit a talented roster. It’s a really good group, and two consecutive dynamite drafts have set the foundation.

Cleveland as a landing spot

It’s a bizarre world to live in, but the Browns have become an attractive destination for a quarterback. Plenty of signal callers could be on the move this offseason, whether that’s through the top of the draft or by trade. With that in mind, it’s easy to talk yourself into Cleveland as a strong landing spot.

The same goes for the New York Jets, with one important condition. New York would need a new coaching staff for that pitch to really land. If that happens, a young quarterback wouldn’t need to run from the Jets, and the same is true of the Browns.

That’s quite the shift for a franchise that has spent so long searching for answers. The supporting cast is in place, with tremendous upside at several positions. For the Browns, the young talent is there. Now they need a quarterback to make the most of it.