Illinois pulled off a flip Saturday morning, landing a 3-star recruit away from a previous commitment to North Carolina.

The player is Zachary Tobe, a 6-foot-1 and 175 lb. safety out of Ocoee, Florida. Tobe has generated 14 Power 5 offers from across the country, including UNC who he committed to in June.

In a piece written for USA TODAY, Tobe discussed his decision and flipping to the Illini.

“Honestly, this decision did not come easy. It took a lot of thinking and time to figure out what the best decision for me is,” Tobe said.

“Committing is fun and cool, but you also have to sit down and figure out that you have to live there and be there for four years. I knew I would be doing myself a disservice if I didn’t make the right choice for me.

“I’m very appreciative to the University of North Carolina staff and all they did for me from when they offered me in January. They became like family to me. They didn’t treat me wrong or anything like that, this is just me doing what is best for me…

“For me, I have to go where I feel most comfortable. Somewhere that I feel I can stand out and be different. Choosing Illinois isn’t an easy decision at all, but I have to use my head. I’m thinking about who I’m going to be, who I’m going to be with, how many guys they’re recruiting at my position and what the culture is there. ”

According to the 247 Sports Composite Rankings, Tobe is a 3-star prospect and the No. 69 safety in the country for the class of 2023. He becomes the 15th player to commit to Illinois for the cycle.