Quality offensive linemen are becoming a staple at Butler High School.

Jake Kradel is playing at the University of Pittsburgh. Nick Stazer and Sam Enslen are now suiting up for Slippery Rock University.

Nate Cornibe seems to be the next in line.

The 6-foot-4, 280-pound senior guard has Air Force, Toledo and Valparaiso already making offers. Ivy League schools Yale, Cornell and Harvard are also interested.

“I haven't made a choice. I want to see how the process plays out,” Cornibe said.

In the meantime, he needs to be more than just the anchor of the Golden Tornado offensive line. He needs to be a team leader and mentor to younger linemen being counted on to produce early in their careers.

And he's up for all of it.

“Jake Kradel was my mentor when I joined the varsity,” Cornibe recalled. “He spent time with me and I learned technique from him.

“I want to return that favor to the younger linemen we have. Hopefully, I can help them get in the position I am now and we can keep that chain going.”

Along with his football ability, Cornibe is carrying a 4.3 grade point average.

“Nate is everything you want in a high school athlete,” Butler coach Eric Christy said. “He's dedicated to the program and to the classroom.

“He genuinely wants to help the younger guys. His attention to detail, his intelligence, they're all positives on the field.”

Cornibe has played either tackle or guard throughout his football career, which dates back to fifth grade.

“Like any kid, I wanted to run with the football all the time,” he recalled of his early years in the game. “But I learned at an early age you have to do what's best for the team.

“My job is to protect the person with the ball. I look at it as one of the most important jobs on the field. That gives me plenty of motivation.”

While Cornibe is unsure of his college destination, he does know his intended field of study.

“My No. 1 motive in college will be studying to become an engineer,” he said. “That's going to require some weighted classes.

“Of course, I'll be playing football, too. The combination will be a tough task, but I'm getting ready for it.”

Cornibe said it's “actually easier” to budget time and focus on studies during football season.

“It forces me to do it,” he said. “Practice and weight room time are definite, so spare time is focused on studies. It's more of a schedule.”

The low numbers on the Butler roster this season don't bother him.

“Football is a team sport and we're all family,” he said. “This group wants to be together. There's a bond here and it's hard to break it.

“We need to win a couple of games, at least, show people the program's moving in the right direction. I want to leave Butler football headed in a positive direction.”

Christy respects Cornibe's passion in that sense.

“Nate is definitely a leader,” the coach said. “He talks to the other linemen all the time. He's almost like another coach that way during practice.

“Guys like him are hard to find and easy to appreciate.”