This may be the closest thing to billboard material Bill Belichick has ever uttered.

Ahead of Sunday’s Patriots-Bears clash in Chicago, the famously taciturn New England coach was asked Wednesday how Bears linebacker and defensive dynamo Khalil Mack measures up as a pass rusher to Giants Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor — whom Belichick coached to two Super Bowl wins as defensive coordinator.

As reported by CBS Boston, Belichick came ever so close to showing umbrage and then said: “Wait a minute, we’re talking about Lawrence Taylor now. I’m not putting anybody in Lawrence Taylor’s class, so … put everyone down below that, and that’s with a lot of respect to a lot of good players now.

“But we’re talking about Lawrence Taylor.”

For his part, Taylor jumped on Twitter to agree with his old coordinator, saying, “What he said!!!!”

Before leading the Patriots to five Super Bowl titles in eight appearances, Belichick was the defensive mastermind behind the Giants’ championships in Super Bowls XXI and XXV — with Taylor as the quarterback-eating sack machine, 1986 MVP, 10-time Pro Bowler and four-time Defensive Player of the Year.

Mack has a 2016 Defensive Player of the Year Award on his résumé and could be on his way to another since his trade to the Bears from Oakland following a contract squabble.

In helping the Bears to a 3-2 record, Mack has recorded five sacks, four forced fumbles and an interception — and begun to stir memories in Chicago of the legendary 1985 Bears defense that led the team to a Super Bowl title.

Belichick acknowledged Mack’s cred during a news conference Tuesday, praising the linebacker as “big, strong and fast,” even with the sore ankle he figures to take into Sunday’s game at Soldier Field.

“He’s got a lot of power,’’ Belichick added, per USA Today. “He does a good job of power-rushing, and he’s fast enough to get the edge. He has good ball awareness so he does a good job of tackling the quarterback when he has to tackle him, but if he has a chance to get the ball out he’s got good ball awareness and can strip it out.”

Just hold off on those LT comparisons.