In the sports world, where nearly everyone has a trade value, Colin Cowherd believes there are a select few who don’t. Not because they’re the most decorated, but rather, they’re way too important to their franchises, leagues, and sometimes, to the culture around them.
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So when Cowherd dropped his “Significant Seven” — a list of athletes he deemed untradeable — the usual megastars showed up. Shohei Ohtani, arguably the most talented baseball player in history. Nikola Jokic, one of the world’s best basketball players. Caitlin Clark, who Cowherd called “the most popular face the WNBA’s ever had,” and credited her for increasing league merchandise sales by 550%.
And of course, Patrick Mahomes. Colin had no hesitation in slotting Mahomes in at No. 2 overall, right behind Clark, citing his talent, likability, and value as an NFL brand.
“He’s the only guy in the last 20 years you’re going to surpass Brady here,” Cowherd said. “Kansas City was swimming in average… You can’t trade him. The most talented quarterback and the best come-from-behind quarterback ever. Even better than Elway.”
Further down, the veteran NFL analyst placed Josh Allen in the fifth spot. Even though Allen has no Super Bowl ring yet, Cowherd isn’t concerned about it.
“He is the most physically gifted quarterback in league history… 6’6”, 250, all about team, jumps over linebackers. He’s more talented than Mahomes,” the analyst said, adding that if the Bills ever offer him up, “everybody except Kansas City should take him.”
Those names make sense. They’ve all proved themselves. But one entry on Colin Cowherd’s list caught most listeners off guard: an NFL sophomore, not even 25 years old, with just one season under his belt.
“I think he’s our next superstar in the NFL.”
Which surprise player cracks @colincowherd’s list of untradeable athletes? pic.twitter.com/fCOsCc4SsP
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) June 26, 2025
“I think it’s Jayden Daniels,” Cowherd revealed at No. 7. “I think he is our next superstar in the NFL.”
That might sound premature — until you look at what Daniels just did. In 2024, the Commanders’ rookie took over a team that hadn’t won a playoff game in over 15 years and pushed them all the way to the NFC Championship.
And during the process, he threw for 3,568 yards and 25 touchdowns, added 891 yards on the ground, and finished second among all quarterbacks in rushing. More impressively, he looked composed from day one, barely resembling a rookie at all.
“That kid was bizarrely good,” Colin Cowherd said. “There is an argument over the next 20 years, they’re going to become Kansas City in the NFC.”
All said and done, Daniels’ inclusion alongside names like Mahomes, Allen, Ohtani, Jokic, and Aaron Judge isn’t only about what he could become. It’s about who he already is: a franchise-turning presence with elite tools, leadership maturity, and rare poise under pressure.
