NFL Veteran Combine 2015: Participants with Best Chance to Make an NFL Roster

On March 22, the NFL will hold the inaugural veteran combine for players hoping to revive their football careers. Several memorable names will be in attendance, but not every player will get a chance to make an NFL roster.

Former backup quarterbacks like Tyler Wilson and Mike Kafka hope to get their old jobs back. However, some are hoping to earn starting positions that they previously held at the highest level of the game.

"Combines have long provided draft eligible players with the forum needed to showcase their skills to NFL teams," NFL Director of Football Development Matt Birk said, via NFL.com. "The NFL Veteran Combine will give veteran free agents a similar opportunity to work out in front of club personnel in a streamlined process."

Before the veterans take the stage in the Arizona Cardinals Practice Facility in Tempe, Arizona, here's a look at the players who have the best chance to make an NFL roster. The complete roster for the event can be found at NFL.com.

Felix Jones, RB

Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

Over a year removed from his last NFL snap with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Felix Jones has high hopes heading into the veteran combine. At just 27 years old, there might still be some burst in his step that he can show in Tempe.

Prior to the 2014 season, Jones believed he would make a roster. Unfortunately, that call never came. Despite the teams overlooking him, Jones remained positive that he would get back on the field, per Kieran Steckley of the Tulsa World:

"

I know something is going to happen, I have a gut feeling. I just have to stay prepared for it. …

Every day just grind, it’s a grind. Get out there and stay focused and stay on top of things and do the things you know how to do. (I have to) stay focused and ready.

"

During his time with the Dallas Cowboys, Jones proved to be a decent running back at the NFL level. In just seven games started during the 2010 season, Jones compiled 1,250 total yards with a 4.3 yards-per-rush clip.

However, his five fumbles the following season raised question marks about his reliability. If he can prove that he's remained in shape on Sunday, Jones just might find his way back onto an NFL roster.

Adam Carriker, DE

Tom Gannam/Associated Press

A former first-round pick by the St. Louis Rams, Adam Carriker carved out a solid career over a four-year span of time. Playing in all but one game from 2007 to 2011 with the Rams and Washington Redskins, Carriker collected 11 tackles for loss and nine sacks.

His best season was in 2011, when he tallied a total of 5.5 sacks with the Redskins. That also happens to be the last full year that Carriker suited up in the NFL. Playing in just two games in 2012, Carriker's career came to a halt due to a torn quadriceps tendon that required multiple surgeries.

Now, the former Nebraska standout is ready to make a comeback to professional football. Leading up to Sunday, he voiced his thoughts on what fans will see when he takes the field:

Last summer, he posted a video of him deadlifting 505 pounds with relative ease. If he's capable of proving that strength and power can still translate to a productive career moving forward, Carriker is another player to watch at the veteran combine.

Mikel Leshoure, RB

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Sure, running back might be a position that has been devalued in recent years, but there are some talented players still looking to make rosters. Mikel Leshoure is like a combination of the previous two players mentioned on this list.

Like Jones, Leshoure had one productive season in 2012 with over 1,000 total yards and nine touchdowns. However, his torn Achilles tendon from 2011 took some of the burst away from the former Illinois running back.

Just days away from his 25th birthday on March 30, Leshoure still has a few productive years ahead of him. If he finds a way to impress an NFL team over the weekend, he just might receive a great birthday present by making it on a roster.

Follow @RCorySmith on Twitter.