"Are you nuts?" Ikaika Alama-Francis said when asked if he imagined he would one day develop into a highly regarded National Football League prospect.

"Are you crazy?" he added. "Me? In this position right now? It was unheard of."

But if things go as expected, the former University of Hawai'i defensive lineman will be selected in Saturday's first day of the NFL draft.

It has been a remarkable journey for Alama-Francis, who did not play sports until his freshman year at Kalaheo High School. Back then, he was a 5-foot-11, 120-pound post player on the Mustangs' state champion varsity basketball team.

He became an All-State basketball and volleyball player, then joined UH as a walk-on basketball player in 2002.

In the spring of 2003, he auditioned for the football team. At the time, he weighed 210 pounds and managed to bench press 225 pounds one time. In his first one-on-one drill, he was floored by Isa'ako Sopoaga, now a San Francisco 49er defensive tackle.

After watching all of that, head coach June Jones predicted that Alama-Francis would develop into an NFL player. Jones' vision is close to materializing.

Alama-Francis was named to the 2006 All-WAC first team.

He was dominant in the Hula Bowl before suffering a torn pectoral muscle. The injury kept him from performing drills at the NFL Scouting Combine in February. At last month's Pro Day in Carson, Calif., he participated in the running and jumping drills, but not weight-lifting sessions.

He said he has fully healed from the pectoral injury, and now is able to lift weights.

Even while recuperating, Alama-Francis, who is 6 feet 5 and 276 pounds, has drawn strong interest from the NFL. The New Orleans Saints, Oakland Raiders, San Francisco 49ers, Cleveland Browns, Indianapolis Colts and Pittsburgh Steelers brought him in for in-person interviews.

"The first time I went, I'm going down this escalator in the airport," Alama-Francis said. "I saw a guy holding up a sign with my name on it. I looked around, then I realized: 'Hey, that's me.' He picked me up in a limo. We were driving down Pittsburgh. It's a beautiful city."

Most teams are looking at Alama-Francis as a defensive end or outside linebacker. The Kansas City Chiefs believe he can play tight end. At the Pro Day, the scouts marveled at Alama-Francis' agility and first-step quickness.

His agent, Frank Bauer, produced separate DVDs of Alama-Francis performing drills as a defensive end and linebacker. The DVDs were sent to every NFL team.

"I don't know where I'm going to play," Alama-Francis said. "It's a good problem to have. The more you can do, the more valuable you are."

He said he will not watch the telecasts of the draft.

"It's too nerve-wracking," he said. "I can't do. I can't watch it."

Many scouts believe Alama-Francis will be selected in the first three rounds, concurring with Jones' original prediction.

"I owe June so much for saying that," Alama-Francis said. "He saw that potential. He had that eye. You may think he's crazy with some of his decisions, but they come true. I'm glad he had that eye for me."

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.