Retired Lt. Col. Ralph Peters lavished praise upon Gen. James Mattis (ret.) in an interview with Fox Business' Stuart Varney on Monday morning.

Varney asked Peters what his opinion is of the general amid rumors that President-elect Donald Trump could name Mattis his secretary of defense.

"Retired four-star Marine Corps General, General Mattis, possibly at Defense. You're laughing, why?" Varney asked Peters.

Peters could not hold back his giddiness over the possibility of Mattis as Pentagon chief.

"He's the greatest Marine of his generation. He's just incredible," Peters said.

"I admire him unreservedly," Peters continued. "He's actually a very, very acute, astute, observant guy. Not just a physically brave Marine, he's probably the best-read four-star general in this century."

Mattis served in the Marines for 44 years and is considered a leading candidate for secretary of defense according to CNN.

The source cautioned it's not a done deal but said Trump has been extremely impressed with Mattis' resume and what he's heard about him from others and at this stage is leaning in that direction. Asked by reporters if he would choose Mattis to lead the Defense Department, Trump said, "All I can say is he is the real deal. He is the real deal." In Mattis, Trump has a candidate who was held in high regard throughout the ranks of the Marine Corps during his 44 years of service. A seasoned combat commander, he led a task force into southern Afghanistan in 2001 and a Marine division at the time of the Iraq invasion in 2003. The retired four-star general, who was known as "Mad Dog," was lauded for his leadership of Marines in the 2004 Battle of Falluja in Ira–one of the bloodiest of the war.

Earlier in the interview, Varney asked Peters his thoughts on the possibility of Mitt Romney being named secretary of state.

"Mitt Romney would be a great choice for secretary of state," Peters said of the rumors. "Mitt Romney has the experience, the knowledge, the demeanor, negotiating skills, and, frankly, the gravitas to do this."