While I agree with much of what you're saying, my opinion is that Gable recruited more broadly than Tom in terms of style, personality, and lifestyle, not less. Barry Davis, the Brands brothers, Jim Zalesky, and Royce Alger epitomized the "Iowa style," but Randy Lewis, Rico Chiapparelli, Joe Melchiore, Brad Penrith, Joe Williams did not. There were guys on the team who drank and partied, and guys who were saints; guys who were loud and obnoxious and guys who were quiet and polite; guys who were tough as nails at the basics but couldn't hit a suplay if their life depended on it, and guys who rarely shot a single-leg but could toss you from any position. The common element was they were great wrestlers in their own ways.Gable certainly went after the best guys out there, but almost always only if they fit the template for an Iowa guy. The grinder that just worked and worked, who practiced and competed with a chip on their shoulder... I believe TNT also follow the same criteria to a point, but times have changed and they are willing to get the best available even if they aren't an immediate "Iowa guy." I do think Teske fits that description (especially with how he wrestles with an aggressive, heavy handed, in your face style). If Teske crossed Iowa off his potential schools list, that is fine. No need to waste TNT's time, nor his own time making a visit for the sake of making a visit. As mentioned, it allows the coaches to contact kids that are in the mix and up the scholarship offer, or to spread some more out to others currently on the team. If Teske goes to PSU, I wouldn't count him out. Once on campus, it does't matter what wrestlers are already there. He is capable of knocking a RBY or GT, up a weight or out of the line up. Could he beat them today? Probably not, but where you end up is more about the work ethic and attitude of the kid. If those others work hard, but not quite hard enough, who knows.... Tom Ryan came to Iowa as an NCAA Qual. transfer-walk on. Streicher was a returning All American (I think 6th his sop. year). Ryan made the line up and got a 2nd and a 3rd at the NCAAs.. Why? Because Ryan never lost focus on why he came to Iowa in the first place and just outworked the other guys, made those huge improvements, etc. I imagine out of the top schools, some big time recruits will fizzle out, and some other less heralded recruits end up having very good college careers, like the Daniel Dennis' of the world.
As for Tom Ryan, he didn't take Streicher's spot, to be clear. Terry Steiner took Streicher's spot (150). Ryan slotted into the lineup at 158 when Reiland went up to 167 and Chelesvig went up to 177.