Thomas Amankwaa is making some strides this spring as he settles in on the offensive side of the ball. After spending last season as a true freshman playing wide receiver, Amankwaa is now a safety.
It is a position that safeties coach Drew Lascari said is well-suited for the player.
A redshirt last season, Amankwaa’s transition back to the defensive side of the ball isn’t necessarily a steep one. He played as a cornerback at Hillsborough High School (Hillsborough, N.J.), where he was a three-star recruit and a top 10 player in New Jersey according to 247Sports.
Lascari said that he is encouraged by Amankwaa’s transition back to the defensive side of the ball and his unit.
“One, he can run and he’s not afraid to be physical. He knows how to use his hands well. He has a really good sense of zone coverages as well as man preparations,” Lascari told reporters on Thursday.
“He works really hard in terms of his preparation and his studies. I’m really, really proud of Thomas and how he is developing. Looking forward to seeing where he will go.”
The Rutgers secondary lost a couple of starters this offseason, including safety Christian Izien. Amankwaa could well project into a prominent role in the two-deep.
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This offseason his older brother, Charles Amankwaa, committed to Rutgers out of the transfer portal.
Injured throughout last season, Amankwaa showed some serious flashes for Akron in 2021. That year, he had 44 total tackles, a sack, three interceptions, 12 passes defended and a forced fumble.
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