Texas' 2021 class is off and running.

Four-star offensive tackle Hayden Conner committed to the Longhorns on Tuesday. Conner held offers from all over the country, including Texas A&M and Michigan, which were also in his lead group.

Conner is one of the premier offensive linemen in a loaded crop of Lone Star State big men for the 2021 class, which also includes Bryce Foster, Donovan Jackson, Tommy Brockermeyer and Savion Byrd, among others. He's an early four-star that should find a place inside the Rivals250.

Connor is the second domino to fall in the Longhorns' 2021 class, making his decision within hours of Rivals100 quarterback Jalen Milroe, who committed to Texas on Sunday. Both Conner and Milroe hail from Katy, Texas.

While it felt like an in-state battle between Texas and Texas A&M for Conner, the truth is that Michigan was the biggest threat despite being a two-hour plane ride away.

Conner put a heavier emphasis on his classroom studies and aerospace program. When he visited Austin for camp earlier this summer, he met with Professor Moriba Jah, who's famous for creating an app that allows people to look at the earth and everything that orbits it.

The four-star lineman was going to head up to Ann Arbor this weekend to give Michigan another look. He hadn't been back up there since a game last fall, but those plans were derailed once Conner learned that his former Pop Warner teammate Jalen Milroe jumped on board with Texas' 2021 class.

Texas A&M was certainly in the lead group for Conner and remains in a good position with several other one of these standout 2021 linemen, namely teammate Bryce Foster, but it did not stack up with Texas from an academics standpoint. Additionally, Hand had been recruiting Conner dating back to his time at Auburn and then put the full-court press on him when he arrived in Austin, making for an easy -- yet spontaneous -- decision this week.

"When Jalen (Milroe) committed, it lit the fire. I was already between Michigan and Texas -- and I was planning to go to Michigan this weekend -- but once he committed, I realized that's where I'm supposed to go."

"We have played together since fifth grade. We've won two state 7-on-7 championships two national championships together in football, and after he did it I called him and I asked him, 'Why'd you do it?' He said, 'Why can't we get the whole team back together, the super team that we used to have.' I was down. I'm a recruiter for my class now and I'm excited about my path."

"When Jalen committed, I was freaking out. I didn't know what was going on. I wanted to, but at the same time, I didn't want to. Then it hit me. I committed so I can recruit my class for years ahead of time so we can build the ultimate team and I'm very confident we can."

"Coach (Herb) Hand is a really good guy. I just like the way he coaches. He's got a homey feel to it. I've known this guy for a while now and I feel at home when he's coaching me."

"The people that come out of Texas, in aerospace, I think they have the most astronauts out there of any schools. Also, there's a lot of diversity. All of the professors do something different. I don't like the professors all doing the same thing, but every professor at Texas does something different."

Conner has the prototypical size of offensive tackle, measuring up at 6-foot-6 and 315 pounds. He has a 76.5-inch wingspan with strong 31.5-inch arms. He's a source of brute power that can push defensive linemen to the turf with relative ease and on film, launches defenders to the turf.

While his strength is unquestioned, Connor's biggest challenge is to effectively engage defensive linemen and linebackers. When he locks in, the 1-on-1 battle is over. It remains a hurdle for him, but an area he has shown improvement in this offseason and something to look for during his junior season at Katy (Texas) Taylor High School.

Despite his colossal size, Conner has some deceptive lateral agility. During prospect camp this summer, he was quick enough to beat speed-rushers around the edge and looked smooth in the process. He could afford to be a little more flexible and bend better.

Conner effectively extends his arms and drives defenders out of the play. He's got quick feet to switch gaps and engage defenders, as well as turn as pass protect. One thing that stands out is his willingness to initiate contact, which is extremely encouraging. He has a finisher's mentality, which certainly puts him in the conversation with some of the best offensive tackles in the country for 2021.

Lastly, Conner has a stellar GPA but also plenty of football intelligence, which is an imperative trait for an offensive tackle.