NFL Veteran Combine 2015: Results, Highlights and Twitter Reaction

For the first time ever, the NFL held a veteran combine Saturday in Tempe, Arizona, as over 100 players set out to impress NFL scouts and general managers.  

Defensive end Michael Sam, quarterback Brady Quinn and running back Felix Jones were among the notable athletes who took part in drills derived from the better-known scouting combine for the NFL draft.

NFL.com's Marc Sessler provided a look at the Arizona Cardinals' practice facility, which played host to the inaugural veteran combine:

As pointed out by Sessler, there was no shortage of talent evaluators on hand in hopes of finding a potential diamond in the rough:

While a handful of high-profile players were in attendance, there is no question that Sam, the former St. Louis Rams and Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman, commanded the most attention.

The 2014 seventh-round selection has yet to play in an NFL regular-season game, but he participated Sunday in hopes of continuing his dream.

Here is a look at Sam going through the paces, courtesy of USA Today's Tom Pelissero:

Unfortunately for Sam, he didn't test particularly well, as all of his 40-yard dash attempts took five seconds or longer to complete, per Michael David Smith and Darin Gantt of Pro Football Talk:

Following his workout, Sam was grateful for the chance to perform in front of NFL scouts:

Although his 40-yard dash time didn't jump off of the page, Sam felt as though he had a good showing, according to Sessler:

He also expressed confidence in playing football somewhere in 2015, even if that means making a move to the CFL:

ESPN.com's Adam Caplan believes that going up north for a season could represent Sam's best opportunity to return to the NFL moving forward:

Bleacher Report NFL columnist Mike Freeman shared his thoughts on the combine overall:

Perhaps the strongest performance among defensive linemen came courtesy of another former Ram in Adam Carriker. The 2007 first-round pick hasn't played in the NFL since the 2012 season with the Washington Redskins, but he believes he can still contribute, per Around The NFL:

According to the NFL Network's Dan Hellie, Carriker crushed the bench press to the tune of 40 reps:

Interestingly, Carriker pushed for the allowance to bench press despite it not being among the veteran combine's drills, per NFL.com's Conor Orr:

Aside from Sam, there was also a great deal of focus on the crop of running backs that made the trip to Tempe. It included a number of formerly highly touted backs who have enjoyed some measure of success in the league, such as Jones, Michael Bush and Mikel Leshoure, among others.

There is always a great deal of emphasis placed on the 40-yard dash when it comes to running backs, and none of them managed to put up an impressive number, as seen in this listing of results, courtesy of the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport:

Most probably expected Jones to run much better than he did since he was lauded for his speed at the University of Arkansas and during his time with the Dallas Cowboys. According to Smith, though, Jones has lost plenty of explosiveness over the past seven years:

Pelissero captured some footage of Jones and Leshoure participating in running back drills:

Bush, who last played for the Chicago Bears in 2013, was surprised that no team has opted to sign him since the conclusion of that campaign, per Pelissero:

After failing to impress in the 40-yard dash, the 30-year-old former Oakland Raiders standout was overcome with anger:

Although there weren't many big-name quarterbacks at the combine, Quinn certainly stood out in that regard. The former Cleveland Browns first-round pick out of Notre Dame has bounced around the league over the past eight years, but he isn't ready to give up.

Per Orr, Quinn feels good about his chances of landing with an NFL team: "Without a doubt, I feel great. I'm 30, but I feel mentally as good as I've ever felt and as far as throwing the ball and understanding the game, I feel great. I had a great preseason with Seattle. I didn't get much of an opportunity in Miami, but I was 4-for-4 on the reps I got."

As seen in these photos, courtesy of the NFL's official Twitter account, Quinn was able to get out on the field and take part in some throwing drills:

A career resurgence may seem like a long shot, but there is always a chance due to the league-wide need for quarterbacks.

While it remains to be seen if any players or teams will benefit from the first-ever veteran combine, NFL director of football development and former All-Pro center Matt Birk is hopeful that it will ultimately be viewed as a success, according to Orr: "I'm anxious to see how it's received by our clubs. It's a new event. There's a fair amount of skepticism surrounding it and rightfully so. So I guess we're just focused right now on executing and making sure that things run smoothly and that our clubs find it useful."

Former All-Pro linebacker Shawne Merriman was among the initial skeptics, but even he came around to the notion that the veteran combine could be a positive for players in search of a job:

It is possible that only a handful of players who attended the combine will get a look in NFL camps, but if even one of them manages to make a roster, then the event could certainly be considered a success.

Most of the players who participated likely weren't getting a second look, but the combine provided them with a stage to show what they could do.

NFL teams were obviously intrigued based on how many scouts were present, and now, they have a much better understanding of what each player brings to the table.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.