We have been playing with fire for a while with our 197 spot but managed to avoid the burn by beefing a couple guys up and having Luke stay healthy last year. We have needed to get a couple bodies in the room at the weight for a while and Byers was a fortunate stop gap measure for this season assuming he made it here and stayed healthy. It did not happen and the burn is on. It will be pretty tough sledding to lose a guy who was projected to do even better than Luke did last year which was pretty well. A lot of other people are going to have to vastly improve to have any shot at nationals with 197 going from likely top 4 to big question mark. IMO it might be our best option to beef Gambrall to 197 (even though he was not a huge 184 he is not the quickest guy around and the higher weight might help with that) get Evans in at 184 and have Lofthouse at 174. Then get a guy or 2 in to take over for Gambrall in a couple years. After next year 285 will be 1 injury from no one as well so that needs to be addressed also. The only way we can get away with a stop gap situation (Ambrose, Lira etc) at 197 is if DSJ stays at 157 and Lofthouse can cut down and be effective (top 4) at 165.
125- McD, Top 2 (likely #1)
133- Ramos/Moore/Clark, Top 4
141- Marion, Top 3
149- Carew, Hard to tell but hopefully AA.
157- DSJ, Top 2 or Moore/Kelly maybe AA
165- Lofthouse or DSJ, Top 4 or Moore/Kelly maybe AA
174- Lofthouse, Top 4 or Evans Top 4
184- Gambrall Top 6 or Evans Top 6.
197- Gambrall (I could see him possibly 4-8 range) Ambrose, Lira etc. Qualifier (with a more tight system next year we could miss qualifying as well) Amrose has/had the ability at one point to do some things but with the weight issues and time he has missed I can't be overly optimistic about his prospects at this point.
285- Raising/Telford, 4-8 range. I think Telford could have a tad more upside with his length and mobility.