John L. Smith and his coaching staff made another big catch this weekend, receiving an additional top recruit for next season.

Hugh D'Imperio, a 6-foot-4, 230-pound linebacker from Sewell, N.J., orally committed to don the Green and White.

"I like all the guys there, the players and the coaches," D'Imperio said. "They had real nice facilities."

D'Imperio is ranked the No. 17 linebacker prospect in the nation by www.Rivals.com, in addition to the No. 6 player in New Jersey.

In his junior season, D'Imperio had 130 tackles - 20 for loss - and seven sacks.

He also had 25 receptions for 475 yards and three touchdowns. He was named all-state, all-area and all-South Jersey that same year.

Named first-team all-group and first-team all-conference as a senior, he had five sacks and two interceptions.

The www.Rivals100.com editor and recruiting analyst, Jeremy Crabtree, said signing D'Imperio would be huge for MSU.

"He was a solid contribution in New Jersey, one of the better players on the East Coast," he said. "John L. Smith is rounding out the recruiting class with another impact player."

D'Imperio had offers from Virginia Tech and Tennessee in addition to MSU.

He said he visited Tennessee on Jan. 16 and it was his early favorite. He was scheduled to visit the Hokies on Friday, but instead committed to MSU.

D'Imperio said he really liked Tennessee, but he preferred the Spartans' coaching staff.

"I realized I had a better opportunity at MSU," D'Imperio said. "They have better coaches, and their coaches were recruiting me a lot harder."

He added the opportunity to play in the Big Ten was a big factor in his decision.

"I always wanted to play in the Big Ten," D'Imperio said. "I used to watch it all the time when I was growing up."

The addition of D'Imperio makes the second top commitment from New Jersey for the Spartans.

Tail end Craig McGovern from The Hun School of Princeton in Princeton, N.J., committed to MSU earlier this year.

Some players pick schools based on where they can get early playing time, but Crabtree said that wasn't the case with D'Imperio.

"A four-star guy like him could play pretty quickly anywhere," he said.

"Playing time wasn't going to be a huge deciding factor for him."

Crabtree added D'Imperio would be a good fit for any team.

"With his athletic ability, he was going to be an impact player no matter where he decided to go," Crabtree said.

Along with D'Imperio, the Spartans are looking to pick up another top New Jersey player, Phil Trautwein of Voorhees, N.J.

The 6-foot-7, 310-pound offensive tackle had orally committed to play for Florida, but is now uncertain about his decision.

He said he likes the idea of early playing time, which he said he could get at MSU.

D'Imperio is set to play in the 2004 Governor's Bowl in July, which pits the pre-eminent high school seniors of New Jersey against their New York counterparts.

He said he plans to come to MSU to begin training soon thereafter.