The New England Patriots have the No. 4 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Will it be the only pick they make in Round 1 later this month?

Even after spending more than $300 million in free agency in March, the Patriots roster still has some glaring weaknesses, most notably at left tackle. More depth and high-end talent at wide receiver and edge rusher are needed, too.

It makes sense for the Patriots to try to trade back into Round 1 if a player(s) they like falls into the 20s. The Patriots have nine picks each in both the 2025 and 2026 drafts, so they have some extra assets to use to make trades, including two third-rounders this year (Nos. 69 and 77).

Which players should the Patriots consider moving back into the first round to draft?

Here's a list of players worth the gamble.

Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri

Burden is a fantastic route runner, he makes contested catches, he has great speed and he does a very good job after the catch evading defenders and picking up extra yards.

Burden was viewed as the best WR in the class coming into the 2024 season, but Missouri's offense did not play at the level many expected, and quarterback Brady Cook took a step back in his performance. Burden's usage in the offense was lackluster, too, which can be blame in part on the coaching staff. These factors, and others, led to Burden catching just 61 passes for 676 yards and six touchdowns. But in 2023, he caught 86 passes for 1,212 yards and nine touchdowns.

Burden is a top-15 pick talent who could fall into the 20s. Some mock drafts have Burden falling all the way to the Kansas City Chiefs at No. 31 overall, which would be a scary scenario for any defense that has to face Patrick Mahomes next season.

One common pro comparison for Burden is Deebo Samuel. That's the kind of player worth trading up to acquire.

Matthew Golden, WR, Texas

Golden is a savvy route runner with tremendous agility and quickness. His 4.29 40-yard dash time at the NFL Scouting Combine last month led all wide receivers. Golden was highly productive for Texas, tallying 58 receptions for 987 yards and nine touchdowns (all career highs). His best performance came in the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff when he caught seven passes for 149 yards and a touchdown in a double-overtime win against Arizona State.

Golden might come off the board too high for the Patriots to trade back into Round 1, but if he gets into the 20s, he's worth trading up for.

Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State

Josh Simmons could have been a top 10 pick if not for an ACL tear in October that ended his season. Before the injury, he was a fantastic left tackle for the Buckeyes. If healthy, he could be a 10-year starter at that position in the NFL.

If the Patriots take a wide receiver or an edge rusher at No. 4 overall, it would make sense to trade up for a left tackle. That's exactly what Phil Perry has them doing in his latest seven-round NFL Mock Draft, acquiring the No. 17 pick to select Simmons.

Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas

Banks' draft stock seems to have slipped a bit of late, which is weird since he was one of the best offensive tackles in the nation over the last two years. He allowed only one sack for Texas last season despite playing against some of the best pass rushers in the sport on a weekly basis.

Banks is elite in pass protection and would be a fine choice to protect Patriots quarterback Drake Maye's blindside for the foreseeable future. His 89.9 pass block grade from Pro Football Focus was the fourth-best of any offensive tackle last season.

Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon

Our Patriots insider Phil Perry wrote about the possibility of the Patriots trading back into Round 1 to take Conerly in one of his recent mock drafts.

From Perry:

"Conerly had an excellent performance against Abdul Carter last season, and he's long enough (33.5-inch arms) and athletic enough (fastest 10-yard split among all linemen at the combine) to project as a solid starter at one of the game's most important positions."

James Pearce Jr., Edge, Tennessee

Pearce did not have the dominant 2024 season for the Volunteers that many people were anticipating. He was a top 10 pick in a lot of mock drafts last August and September, but now he's projected to go in the late first round or even the second round.

There's no question Pearce has tremendous pass rushing ability. He tallied 17 sacks over the last two seasons in the best conference in college football. He has impressive size (6-foot-5, 245 pounds) and athleticism, as evidenced by his 4.50 40-yard run at the NFL Scouting Combine last month.

Even after signing a lot of good veteran defensive players in free agency, the Patriots still need more pass-rushing talent. Pearce is worth taking a chance on if he falls toward the end of Round 1.

Malaki Starks, S, Georgia

The Bulldogs defense is expected to have several players drafted in Round 1, including Starks. He's the best safety in the 2025 draft class after a fantastic three-year career at Georgia that included a national championship in 2022. Starks is good in pass coverage, he plays the run well and tackles at a high level. He tallied five interceptions and 17 pass breakups over three seasons in Georgia.

The Patriots didn't get much production from their top two safeties -- Kyle Dugger and Jabrill Peppers -- last season. Safety isn't a massive roster need right now, but it could be very soon. Starks comes from an elite program that develops defensive players better than any school. He's also a versatile player who can be used in a variety of coverages and schemes.

If Starks falls into the mid- to late-20s in the first round, he's worth trying to trade up to draft.