I have always believed you generally recruit future NFL players/athletes, more often than not. From and athletic perspective they look like Corcoroan, Piper, Jurgens, Betts, Manning and Fidone. You will notice that many have high rankings but some guys like Piper slip through the crack from recruiting perspective. Given that all those guys will likely play at least 1-2 more year I would say 2021 will be lean as well with only Cam Taylor going in top half and possibly Honas, JoJo late, but more likely free agent invitees . Defense will have a couple guys like Honas/Jo Jo each year as the roster is solid but to this point has not recruited the elite athletes we have on the offensive side.
I will also add that in any profession or sport, development is at least 50 if not closer to 75 on the individual (work ethic, development, natural ability and peronal ownership). Identify players with a great work ethic, the right frame for the position and a passion for the game and you will see players "Develop" assuming the staff isn't a bunch of clowns. Have the best development staff in world and recruit a bunch guys with poor growth potential that don't care and development will cease. Iowa isn't waiving the magic development wand for offensive lineman, they know what they are looking for in the person, athlete and frame and they recruit a bunch of guys that fit that mold and then hit at a much higher rate than recruiting rankings that do not factor down to this level. If you were to ask me what there mold is I would say it looks a bunch like Piper. I am not saying Iowa or Wisconson isn't wonderful at developing lineman, but there is a lot more to it than.
I believe after 2022 you will start seeing the 3-5 guys a year get drafted from that point forward assuming the staff begins winning in 2021 and we don't see a firing and mast exodus. This will represent four years after Frost's first non transition class or the 2019 class which are the players Frost targeted. Would love to get back to the last portion of a team we had which was the 2010 and 2011 defense lead by drafted players below. While there was certainly "development", this group was primarily recruited which is one of the reason Pelini's defenses started to regress after that time frame and why his 9 win run was coming to an end in 15-16 regardless of whether or not he went mental and fired himself.
2010-2011 Defenses - Recruited Players
2010 - Suh (1)
2010 - Asante (5)
2010 - Dillard (4)
2011 - Amukamura (1)
2011 - Gomes (5)
2011 - HaaG (7)
2012 - David (2)
2012 - Crick (4)
2012 - Dennard (7)