... what the cost of a recruit who is close with a D2 sim might be?  He's easily the best pulldown candidate at a position of need that I've scouted.  Shows up close with a D2 sim, but I am a backup option.  Ordinarily we suggest people walk away from situations like this, but again, there's no close 2nd and I have money to burn at the moment.

Simmies don't have a distance cost, it is some formula based on their prestige that creates how much 'effort' is in on a guy. Is this for a d3 school recruiting against a d2 school?

Unless you have 8k to burn, I suggest you pass. I say 8k because I have seen conf mate drop 6k in this situation and lose. 

Obviously there's going to be some range, but I have $6k easy.  $8k maybe not.  I'll probably have to let him go I guess.