All of the ones I've seen make the characters look like someone out of an Abercrombie & Fitch catalog.

I don't like for them to look low-res or dirty like the vanilla models, but I also really dislike having them look like they've gone through thousands of surgeries to make them look like the dream man of a 14-year-old girl.

Anyone have any recommendations as to what mods I should use?

I would suggest Better Males (nvde or underwear version, whatever you prefer) + opional body hair (because the default, hairless versions will give the guys a waxed look) + XCE faces (which still have the rugged vanilla look).

Can't link because it contains nudity, but you'll find it on Nexus.