LEGEND IN THE MAKING

Brilliant and beautiful Chrissy Teigen is the gold standard for bikini models

It’s Chrissy Teigen’s moment in the sun. The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue hits newsstands Feb. 18, and with the annual edition turning 50 this year, tension is running higher than ever about who will soar to instant fame when the cover’s unveiled.

After an analysis of the current crop of swimsuit stars, the Daily News endorses Teigen for the golden anniversary cover girl. With appearances in four consecutive past Swimsuit Issues — starting with being named “Rookie of the Year” in 2010 — she’s ready. Plus, the New York-based brunette model would be a nice change after two years of blond Kate Upton gracing the cover.

But it’s not just her looks. Sports Illustrated also needs a cover girl who’s ready to be a star. Teigen is already a social media heavyweight with 350,000 fans following her goofy, madcap tweets. And she recently married singer John Legend, who happened to perform at the Swimsuit Issue’s 50th Anniversary show.

Teigen’s fun, go-anywhere personality makes her a fan favorite — and could make her a breakout star. “She has a really strong personality,” says stylist J. Logan Horne, who has worked with Teigen several times, including on a Skullcandy campaign. “One of the reasons she’s so big on Twitter is that she responds to her haters and to her fans. She ha has a really cool way of st staying relatable and gr grounded.

“I think that’s what pe people like about Chrissy, th that she’s not ordinary in an any way. And what I love ab about Sports Illustrated is that every year [the co cover girl] is totally unexppected. Chrissy would be a really good choice.”

As usual, the c chosen model is s shrouded in secrecy. “No one knows. Not even the photographers know,” says lensman Walter Iooss Jr., who has shot a dozen Swimsuit Issue covers. “It’s a very important decision for a $40 million magazine,” he says. “It’s probably their most important decision [of the year].”

Here are some more options for this year’s cover girl — most of whom can be seen in the photo book “Sports Illustrated Swimsuit: 50 Years of Beautiful” — and our best estimate of their chances. smcclear@nydailynews.com

NINA AGDAL, 21 she’s “I would think goingtobeaco ver girl,”saysphotographer Walter Iooss Jr.of the Danish bombshell. Agdal was RookieoftheYe ar” “ the2012Swimsu it in Issue. She’s also stepping onto the big screen in the “Entou Shewas rage”movie....

HANNAH DAVIS, 23 Last week, Sports Illustrated released some “first look” Swimsuit Issue photos, including a pic of Derek Jeter’s recent ex wearing a cutoff T-shirt reading “NJ Strong.” But is she strong enough to make the cover? It’s unlikely that SI...

ARIEL MEREDITH, 27 Thank God she didn’t listen to one of her early modeling agencies! When they asked the Louisiana native to get breast-reduction surgery, she refused, and they dropped her. She has since shown her natural assets in three Swimsuit...

ANNE V, 27 Anne V (Vyalitsyna) has appeared in the last nine Swimsuit Issues. Maybe it’s time to either land a cover, or tell SI she’s got better things to do — like TV. The Russian will be a mentor on Naomi Campbell’s modeling competition “The Face,”...

GENEVIEVE MORTON, 27 This fourtime Swimsuit Issue alum has already made the cover ... for the South African edition of the magazine (she’s a native). Is she ready to conquer the States? Odds 15-1

KATE UPTON, 21 Could the two-time cover girl go a third round? Don’t count her out, says Iooss. “Kate’s a star,” he says. “Keep running her, she’s hot. It’s like a ballplayer, she’s on a winning streak.” Still, he concedes that building young talent...

ALYSSA MILLER, 24 This L.A. native is known for her sophisticated European look. Besides three turns in the Swimsuit Issue, she has worked with Victoria’s Secret, Guess and Vogue. She counts Jake Gyllenhaal as an ex. If she could grab his attention ......

E G A M I E R I W GROUP COVER For its 30th anniversary Swimsuit Issue, SI put three models on the cover. Could the 50th have more than one? “I’m expecting the cover to be iconic,” says Kelly Brady, owner of Brandsway Creative, which has repped several models who have...