What you're saying makes sense.
And no, Hartline can't be called out because he's landing the best WRs in the country and putting them in the NFL. But a guy like Walton and Eliano have been called out like crazy. And the 2023 DB class was VERY good! But fans lament on missing out on: AJ Harris, Kayin Lee, Toviano, Cormani McClain, Caleb Downs, and Dijon Johnson. Walton and Eliano landed some very talented DBs in the Portal along with the HS recruits.
But in the end I get your big point, that OSU shouldn't have to land Plan B guys. But I think KVA and Lightfoot are outlier examples that can be overcome. On a macro level, it would be an issue if they can't get their top of the board guys. Knowles and Company's on field product has to step up in the biggest games this season in order to feel more confident in the recruiting battles. Because UGA and Bama don't seem intimidated recruiting against OSU on the defensive side. So to combat that, beating them on the field needs to happen this season