Event Recap: PSR BIG Camp Series – Scout Notes, Receivers Vol. 1
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The circuit of back-to-back-to-back weekends on the road has come to a conclusion, as I was fortunate to attend Coach Nick Pennisi’s PSR BIG Camp Series on Saturday, May 11. This marks the second year in a row that I covered the…
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Continue ReadingThe circuit of back-to-back-to-back weekends on the road has come to a conclusion, as I was fortunate to attend Coach Nick Pennisi’s PSR BIG Camp Series on Saturday, May 11. This marks the second year in a row that I covered the event. Pennisi has grown his significantly from last year. With over 400 prospects registered for the event, I had my work cut out for me to identify and scout some of the event’s standouts. As I feverishly wrote notes, here are my scouting notes from the position group disclosed in this article’s title.
PSR BIG Camp Series Event Coverage
Scout’s Notebook: Wide Receivers
As some of his teammates attended a different event this weekend, Seton Hall Prep’s Caleb Pasols Caleb Pasols 5'7" | 155 lbs | WR Seton Hall Prep | 2025 State NJ competed at the PSR BIG Camp series. At this event, Pasols made outstanding sideline catches that, to me anyway, indicates that he has good field awareness and can adjust to make grabs accordingly. Another thing I caught, and liked, about Pasols was how he had good, choppy feet as the ball arrived on the routes that broke, particularly across the middle. This allowed Pasols to time up the ball’s arrival and to make easy grabs….. Another parochial school standout was Daniel Brown Daniel Brown 6'1" | 195 lbs | WR Saint Peter's Prep | 2025 NJ from St. Peter’s Prep. Brown was especially adept at running benders, deep over the middle. Moreover, Brown impressed me with understanding how to use is big body frame (6’2″ 185lbs) to shield defenders’ pathway to the ball, routinely isolating himself and easy catches.
Two 2027 graduates that caught my attention, and were subsequently added to our watch list, were Michael Todisco Michael Todisco 5'10" | 155 lbs | WR Holmdel | 2027 NJ (Holmdel) and Donato Perro Donato Perro 6'1" | 155 lbs | WR Burlington City | 2027 NJ (Burlington City)….. Michael Todisco Michael Todisco 5'10" | 155 lbs | WR Holmdel | 2027 NJ , for what I would say an average height of 5’10”, had ups. Todisco showed an uncanny ability to go up, rise above the defenders who were also in midair, and pluck the ball out of the air….. On the other hand, much of Donato Perro Donato Perro 6'1" | 155 lbs | WR Burlington City | 2027 NJ ‘s work was done near the line of scrimmage. Perro made his life easy as he managed to get outstanding releases. These releases created ample space to work later in his pattern as he carried out his routes.
Closing out today are some north Jersey public school prospects….. Matthew Scerbo Matthew Scerbo 6'2" | 175 lbs | WR Phillipsburg | 2025 NJ , hailing from the last exit on Route 78 in Phillipsburg, show that he can profile as an outstanding possession receiver as well as the deep threat he has shown on film. On film Scerbo shows that he is a threat to go the distance from any point on the field; however, after getting an up-close and in-person look at him, he truly has great, soft hands that dud the ball upon arrival. Additionally, Scerbo extends his arms to receive the ball immediately, rather than wait to caress it, for he knows that the sooner the ball is in his hands, the better off his team is….. Keyon Thorpe Keyon Thorpe 5'9" | 155 lbs | DB Snyder | 2025 State NJ was another player featured in a previous Web Gem series, and he continued to build on what should be an extremely productive season. After seeing him live I have come to realize that Thorpe benefits from a quick release on the line. Perhaps attributed to his size and shiftiness or, perhaps, attributed to the work I have been told he is put in this offseason, Thorpe was aided by quick feet and twitchiness when coming off the ball. This led to several immediate victories in the short game and also many completions on the deep ball that defenders never had a chance to recover from.
Lastly, although on the official roster I was given he was registered as a wide receiver, it was clear to me that Piscatway’s Elan McCrorey Elan McCrorey 5'9" | 140 lbs | QB Piscataway | 2025 NJ likely registered as a wideout since quarterbacks were probably all filled. McCrorey, who is competing for a job with 2027 graduate Landon Pernell Landon Pernell 5'10" | 135 lbs | QB Piscataway | 2027 State NJ , showed a few attributes as a signal caller that might indicate he is the man for the job. McCrorey did an excellent anticipating his targets’ break when they ran comeback routes. In doing so, receivers were inherently moving towards the ball as they broke off their route. In turn this gets the ball to playmakers sooner rather than later. Additionally, McCrorey had some zip on the ball that I was not expecting. His proved important, especially as the day waned on and the wind picked up.