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2023 3-star DB flips from UNC to Illinois

The Illini are welcoming Zachary Tobe to next year’s class.

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Twitter: @OZtobe

Illinois picked up a big-time commitment on the defensive side of the ball Saturday morning.

Three-star prospect Zachary Tobe announced his pledge to Illinois, after previously being committed to North Carolina.

As seen in the cover photo for this article, Tobe joins Florida high school teammate Calvin Smith in the Illini’s 2023 class.

According to 247, Tobe (at 6-foot-1 and 175 pounds) is the No. 69 safety in next year’s class. He also had offers from plenty of Power Five schools, including Boston College, Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee.

Tobe announced his decision in a USA Today article.

“My official visit there was everything I could imagine. It was my first time being in Chicago. All I heard before I got there is that it was cold and snowed all the time. But it was the nicest school I’d been to. Everything — the coaches, the players, the relationships I built with other recruits – everything made me feel like I was at home.”

Tobe also runs track and field in high school.