This You Gotta See: Cream of the 2021 NFL draft QB crop on display in bowls this week

Florida’s Kyle Trask threw for 408 yards and three touchdowns against Alabama in an SEC title-game loss. | Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

No one, not even the most dyed-in-the-wool contrarian, could argue against 1983 as the year of the greatest NFL draft quarterback class ever. A record six QBs were selected in the first round, among them future Hall of Famers John Elway, Jim Kelly and Dan Marino.

Perhaps the most remarkable since then came around in 2018, when, for the first time, four passers — Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Josh Allen and Josh Rosen — went in the top 10. With the No. 32 pick went Lamar Jackson, who, it turns out, is kind of good.

But there’s something about the guys who are playing now, the 2021 class. We try hard around here not to get sucked into hyperbole — OK, fine, we traffic in it liberally — but the 2021 class is just plain the best one since 1983, and we’ll die on that hill until we’re left with no choice but to deny ever having taken this position.

Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence, Ohio State’s Justin Fields, BYU’s Zach Wilson, Florida’s Kyle Trask, Alabama’s Mac Jones, North Dakota State’s Trey Lance — all of them could go in the first round in April. Four of them are coming to a screen near you in bowl games this week.

Goodness knows the Bears had better be doubling down on their homework. Have they ever missed the mark before when drafting a QB? We’ll have to check our records and get back to you on that.

Here’s what’s happening:

SUN 27

Bears at Jaguars (noon, Ch. 2)

The 1-13 Jags are every bit as bad as that sounds, so we’ve entered a strange new world in which the Bears are favored by more than a touchdown. What could go wrong?

Rams at Seahawks (3:25 p.m., Fox-32)

To the winner goes first place in the NFC West and the title of sneaky-good bet to reach the Super Bowl instead of the Packers or Saints. Try fitting that on a business card.

Warriors at Bulls (7 p.m., NBCSCH)

Steph Curry and company lost their first two games by a combined 64 points. Who do they think they are, the Bulls?

Titans at Packers (7:20 p.m., Ch. 5)

Tennessee is on an insane offensive tear, hanging 30s or 40s on everybody. If Aaron Rodgers manages to outscore this team, he’ll strengthen his candidacy for the Patrick Mahomes Over My Dead Body MVP award.

MON 28

Illinois State at Loyola (6 p.m., CBSSN)

Sports coat? What sports coat?

The scheduling format in the Valley this season calls for two-game back-to-backs between all opponents. The rest of the league must be so excited for double doses of Porter Moser ripping off his sports coat.

Bills at Patriots (7:15 p.m., Ch. 7, ESPN)

How strange it is to see the Pats just playing out the string. It’s almost as strange as seeing Buffalo running things in the AFC East at 11-3.

TUE 29

Bucks at Heat (6:30 p.m., TNT)

Sometimes it seems Jimmy Butler and the Heat are the Rodney Dangerfields of the East, like last season’s run to the Finals never even happened. No, we are not about to make a crack about the Bulls being the Carrot Tops.

Northwestern at Iowa (8 p.m., FS1)

The Wildcats are off to a 3-0 start in Big Ten play for the first time since before Chris Collins was born. Heck, dad Doug was still in high school.

WED 30

Cotton Bowl: Florida vs. Oklahoma (7 p.m., ESPN)

Florida’s Trask, a big, strong, accurate pocket passer, is getting ready to make a lot of dough. But Oklahoma’s Spencer Rattler is mighty good, too. Special bonus: He gets to walk around with the name Spencer Rattler.

DePaul at Connecticut (8 p.m., CBSSN)

You’ve got to love the early looks of the Blue Demons’ Javon Freeman-Liberty, a transfer from Valparaiso. Some of us still have a bone to pick with his uncle Marcus for not choosing DePaul back in the ’80s.

THU 31

Bulls at Wizards (4 p.m., NBCSCH)

It’s the second of two games in three nights at the new home of Russell Westbrook. Blink and you’ll miss a triple-double.

FRI 1

Peach Bowl: Cincinnati vs. Georgia (11 a.m., ESPN)

The Bearcats are unbeaten. See them fight for non-Power-5 glory against an SEC big boy.

Fitzgerald and the ’Cats won’t fear Auburn one bit.

Citrus Bowl: Auburn vs. Northwestern (noon, Ch. 7)

There probably isn’t a five-star recruit on the Tigers’ roster who could tell you where Northwestern’s campus is located. Pat Fitzgerald and crew will try to “Go Cats!” them into submission anyway.

Rose Bowl: Alabama vs. Notre Dame (3 p.m., ESPN)

Lots of luck, Irish, against the greatest college offense ever. Yes, that hyperbole thing has gotten the better of us again.

Sugar Bowl: Clemson vs. Ohio State (7 p.m., ESPN)

They meet again, a year after one of the tensest, most evenly played playoff games since the final-four format debuted in 2014. Lawrence. Fields. Hut, hut, spectacular.

Cubs Classic: 1990 All-Star Game (8 p.m., MSN)

What could be more fitting than a high-profile game at Wrigley Field in which the home team loses 2-0?

SAT 2

Outback Bowl: Indiana vs. Mississippi (11:30 a.m., Ch. 7)

Crazy coach Tom Allen and the Hoosiers were the darlings of the Big Ten football season. A whole bunch of Rebels fans are about to be asking themselves, “Is that man having some sort of an attack?”

Purdue at Illinois (5 p.m., BTN)

The Illini have taken a few lumps this season, but they’re throwing haymakers now. So there you have it: Haymakers vs. Boilermakers. Count us in.