Similar discussion here:
viewtopic.php?f=380&t=37400Bottom line is it depends on what you're going for. With a high prestige school you should have the clout and the money to be able to recruit everyone. You can kind of take lots of chances on kids and then just shift away from them if their interest isn't moving quickly.
Pipelines are helpful but ideally you would still focus on recruits nearer to your school. A "Good" pipeline into Indiana may have better results than a "Great" pipeline to Arizona for example. But it all depends on the recruit's personalities and what other offers you're competing with.
Great > Good > Decent > Minor