If you are ELITE and in top 10, you are going to get recruits. Tennessee did when we were good and now that Heupel has energy in the program, look at our current class.
You have to be competitive. If Nebraska gets back to being competitive, they will get good classes. Sure they are at a disadvantage but they can win.
Another issue is who you are recruiting against and what you can pitch to turn the table.
It is no surprise Tennessee started falling apart when Nick Saban and Mark Richt came along. Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee have historically recruiting the same areas (we also recruit against Clemson). We have lost a ton of talent to Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, etc. that might have chosen Tennessee if we had better coaching and Saban had not gone to Alabama.